Pinch Loss Ameliorates Obesity, Glucose Intolerance, and Fatty Liver by Modulating Adipocyte Apoptosis in Mice

The mammalian focal adhesion proteins Pinch1/2 activate integrins and promote cell–extracellular matrix adhesion and migration; however, their roles in adipose tissue and metabolism are unclear. Here we find that high-fat diet (HFD) feeding dramatically increases expression of Pinch1/2 proteins in white adipose tissue (WAT) in mice. Furthermore, expression of Pinch1 is largely upregulated in WAT in leptin-deficient ob/ob type 2 diabetic mice and...