LincRNA H19 protects from dietary obesity by constraining expression of monoallelic genes in brown fat.

ABSTRACT: Increasing brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis in mice and humans improves metabolic health and understanding BAT function is of interest for novel approaches to counteract obesity. The role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in these processes remains elusive. We observed maternally expressed, imprinted lncRNA H19 increased upon cold-activation and decreased in obesity in BAT. Inverse correlations of H19 with BMI were also observed in humans. H19 overexpression promoted, while silencing of H19 impaired adipogenesis, oxidative metabolism and mitochondrial respiration in brown but not white adipocytes. In vivo, H19 overexpression protected against DIO, improved insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial biogenesis, whereas fat H19 loss sensitized towards HFD weight gains. Strikingly, paternal

SUBMITTER: Schmidt E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6127097 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature