Wang Research Lab

Obesity causes 65-75% of primary hypertension. However, our understanding of the relationship between adipose tissue and blood pressure is still incomplete. We know the essential role of the kidney in managing blood pressure homeostasis. Yet the information about the crosstalk between adipose tissue and the kidney in controlling blood pressure is limited. 

The primary interest of my research is to understand the role of adipokines and other adipose tissue-derived products in regulating renal function, particularly blood pressure and fluid metabolism. The initial evidence from my work suggests a potentially important role of adipose-derived soluble proteins, such as C1qTNF-related protein 1 (CTRP1) and soluble form of (pro)renin receptor (sPRR) in managing blood pressure homeostasis via regulating renal function. My laboratory employs integrative experimental approaches involving conditional gene targeting, radiotelemetry measurement of blood pressure, cell culture, molecular biology, mouse renal physiology, and other exploratory approaches to discover novel disease mechanisms in animal models. To accelerate these efforts, we also employ high-throughput next-generation sequencing technology and integrated ‘omics’-based approaches to raise the new idea and shape our hypothesis. 

In addition to blood pressure regulation, CTRP1 and sPRR significantly participated in managing energy metabolism. My laboratory is also investigating the underlying role of adipokine in coordinating blood pressure homeostasis and energy homeostasis.