Figure 3:

Obesity increases risk for cardiovascular disease. Obesity leads to an increase in ROS within adipocytes, accomplished by increasing NADPH oxidase activity, mitochondrial ROS production, and heme levels while repressing antioxidative enzymes such as HO-1 and SOD. This increase in adipocyte ROS and heme leads to increased adipocyte differentiation, maturation, resulting in increased production of proinflammatory compounds such as cytokines and decreased production of antioxidative compounds and compounds preventing adipocyte growth and differentiation. The consequences of obesity-mediated adipocyte dysfunction may lead to vascular dysfunction which is a prelude to vascular disease and hypertension.