Because mitoNEET (also called CISD1), a mitochondrial outer membrane protein, has been implicated in the action of pioglitazone in PVAT [22], we conducted a series of experiments to examine the role of mitoNEET in attenuation of obesity-mediated arterial stiffness by pioglitazone. The gene discussed is CISD1; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.