Introduction on the ATVB Review Series “Nuclear Receptors in Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease”

Series Editor: Bart Staels Articles in this series: •Staels B. Introduction on the ATVB review series “Nuclear Receptors in Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease.” Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol . 2010;30:1504–1505. •Arnal J-F, Fontaine C, Billon-Gales, Favre J, Laurell H, Lenfant F, Gourdy P. Estrogen receptors and endothelium. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol . 2010;30:1506–1512. •Calkin A, Tontonoz P. Liver X receptor signaling pathways and atherosclerosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol . 2010;30:1513–1518. •Hageman J, Herrema H, Groen AK, Kuipers F. A role of the bile salt receptor FXR in atherosclerosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol . 2010;30:1519–1528. •Duez H, Staels B. Nuclear receptors linking circadian rhythms and cardiometabolic control. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol . 2010;30:1529–1534. •Zhao Y, Bruemmer D. NR4A orphan nuclear receptors: Transcriptional regulators of gene expression in metabolism and vascular biology. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol . 2010;30:1535–1541. •Huang W, Glass CK. Nuclear receptors and inflammation control: Molecular mechanisms and pathyphysiological relevance. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol . 2010;30:1542–1549. Over the last decades, dramatic changes in lifestyle habits have precipitated a worldwide obesity epidemic. The decrease in exercise and increase in caloric intake results in a higher prevalence of central obesity, which is often accompanied by metabolic derangements, including dyslipidemia and diabetes and, as a consequence, an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Organisms adapt their metabolism to environmental changes by modulating signaling pathways, including several transcription factor pathways. Although these adaptations are initially meant to maintain physiological homeostasis, chronic overactivation may result in the dysregulation of pathways, leading to insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, inflammatory responses, etc. …