BMAL1 and Obesity: To test this, we overexpressed Bmal1 in adipocytes in HFD-fed obese mice using recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8) vector encoding Bmal1 driven by an adipocyte-specific aP2 promoter (named “AAV8.aP2.Bmal1”), and examined its effects on obesity and associated comorbidities (Figure 5Q-T).