YIG Molecular Obesity Research

Our group ‘Molecular Obesity Research’ pursues several approaches to investigate protein, especially serpins and proteases, function in adipose tissue and obesity. We use our expertise in protein expression and purification to generate substantial amounts of these proteins and elucidate the structural characteristics and molecular mechanisms underlying their biologic activity. In parallel, we are dedicated to unravel their physiological function in health and disease using isolated cells, tissues and animal models.

Our group ‘Molecular Obesity Research’ pursues several approaches to investigate protein (e.g. serpin or protease) function in adipose tissue and obesity. We use our expertise in protein expression and purification to generate substantial amounts of these proteins and elucidate the structural characteristics and molecular mechanisms underlying their biologic activity. In parallel, we are dedicated to unravel their physiological function in health and disease using isolated cells, tissues and animal models.

Serpins and Proteases in Obesity

Serpins regulate and control essential and proteolysis-dependent processes such as coagulation. This project investigates the poorly understood and enigmatic functions of serpins and proteases in adipose tissue.

Model of the Michaelis-complex between Kallikrein 7 (KLK7) and N-glycosylated vaspin (SERPINA12), bridged by heparin. Interaction of KLK7 (pdb 2QXI) and vaspin (pdb 4IF8), as well as heparin binding modes were modeled using the ClusPro server (https://cluspro.bru.edu).

Adipokines and (B)AT Activity

In this project, we investigate novel players, proteins, enzymes, serpins and proteases in brown adipose tissue activation and thermogenesis.

Thermal image showing activaty of the interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) depot of mice held at either thermoneutrality (30°C, BAT off, top left) and after cold-exposure (8°C, BAT on, lower right).

Myoglobin in Thermogenic Adipocytes

In this project, we investigate a muscle protein at work in thermogenic adipocytes.

Darstellung von Myoglobin-Expression in braunen Adipocyten

Myoglobin regulates lipid flux and facilitates brown adipocyte metabolism and thermogenesis.

PD Dr. Dr. John Heiker

Group Leader "Molecular Obesity Research" View profile

Inka Rapöhn

PhD Candidate (CRC 1052)

Kevin Möhlis

PhD Candidate (CRC 1052)

Christian Strehlau

PhD Candidate

Claudia Gebhardt

Technician

Olivia Paetow

Technician

Dr. Juliane Weiner

PostDoc / Guest Researcher

Michael Schneekönig

Master's Student

Rachel Sophie Zimmer

Master's Student

Maren Wiermann

Master's Student

Anna Sophia Moormann

Master's Student

Isabel Sandner

Master's Student

Alumni of the Heiker Lab

Lisa Christen, PhD (2020-2023)
Sebastian Dommel, PostDoc (2022-2023)
Aleix Ribas Latre, PostDoc (2020-2023)
Hanna Scheffold B.Sc. (2022)
Catherine Tindall, PhD (2017-2021)
Sophie Rehme, M.Sc. (2021)
Helen Broghammer, B.Sc. (2021)
Sandra Kuhn, M.Sc. (2021)
Nicolas Mytzka, M.Sc. (2020)
Estelle Erkner, M.Sc. (2019)
Benjamin Fritz, M.Sc. (2019)
Lisa Volke, M.Sc. (2019)

Complete List of Publications of the Heiker Lab

2023 Frontiers in Endocrinology (2023), 14:1146454

Rapöhn I, Elias I, Weiner J, Pujol A, Kehr S, Chadt A, Al-Hasani H, Burkhard R, Klöting N, Stumvoll M, Bosch F, Kovacs P, Heiker JT, Breitfeld J

Overexpressing High Levels of Human Vaspin Limits High Fat Diet-Induced Obesity and Enhances Energy Expenditure in a Transgenic Mouse

2022 Clinical and Translational Medicine (2022), 12:e1108

Christen L, Broghammer H, Rapöhn I, Möhlis K, Strehlau C, Ribas-Latre A, Gebhardt C, Roth L, Krause K, Landgraf K, Körner A, Rohde-Zimmermann K, Hoffmann A, Klöting N, Ghosh A, Sun W, Dong H, Wolfrum C, Rassaf T, Hendgen-Cotta U, Stumvoll M, Blüher M, Heiker JT, Weiner J

Myoglobin-Mediated Lipid Shuttling Increases Adrenergic Activation of Brown and White Adipocyte Metabolism and is as a Marker of Thermogenic Adipocytes in Humans

2018 Cell Mol Life Sci. 2018 Feb;75(4):727-742

Zieger K, Weiner J, Kunath A, Gericke M, Krause K, Kern M, Stumvoll M, Klöting N, Blüher M, Heiker JT

Ablation of Kallikrein 7 (KLK7) in Adipose Tissue Ameliorates Metabolic Consequences of High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity by Counteracting Adipose Tissue Inflammation in vivo.

2017 Mol Metab. 2017 Jun; 6(6): 482–493

Weiner J, Rohde K, Krause K, Zieger K, Klöting N, Kralisch S, Kovacs P, Stumvoll M, Blüher M, Böttcher, Y, Heiker JT

Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) Specific Vaspin Expression is Increased after Obesogenic Diets and Cold Exposure and Linked to Acute Changes in DNA-Methylation.

2013 Cell Mol Life Sci. 2013; 70(14): 2569–2583

Heiker JT, Klöting N, Kovacs P, Küttner EB, Sträter N, Schultz S, Kern M, Stumvoll M, Blüher M, Beck-Sickinger AG

Vaspin Inhibits Kallikrein 7 by Serpin Mechanism