Title of project

White Adipose Tissue Adaptations in Inuits: Evolutionary Responses to Arctic Climates

Abstract

The indigenous Inuit population of Greenland has evolved distinct physiological adaptations to survive the extreme Arctic environment, where maintaining body temperature is demanding. Interestingly, despite having higher abdominal subcutaneous fat levels compared to Europeans, Greenlanders display a metabolically healthier phenotype, characterized by lower glucose levels and increased hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity. This is in contrast with the typical association between abdominal fat accumulation and cardiometabolic risk in other populations. These observations suggest that evolutionary pressures have enabled Greenlanders to develop a healthier white adipose tissue phenotype, which may protect against ectopic fat storage and its metabolic consequences.

With the current project we aim to investigate the molecular and cellular adaptations of white adipose tissue in Greenlanders, with a focus on lipid and glucose metabolism. By integrating genetic data with functional in vitro studies, this research will detect the mechanisms underlying healthy fat expansion and explore how the evolutionary metabolic adaptations contribute to the unique metabolic profile of Greenlanders. The findings have the potential to uncover novel strategies to enhance metabolic health and combat obesity-related diseases – also in other populations.