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Activin E controls body fat distribution via suppression of adipose lipolysis in mice

ABSTRACT: Body fat distribution is a heritable risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic disease. In humans, rare Inhibin beta E (INHBE, activin E) loss-of-function variants are associated with lower waist-to-hip ratio and protection from type 2 diabetes. Hepatic fatty acid sensing promotes INHBE expression during fasting and in obese individuals, yet it is unclear how the hepatokine activin E governs body shape and energy metabolism. Here, we uncover activin E as a negative feedback regulator of adipose lipolysis that restrains excessive fat breakdown during fasting. By suppressing β-agonist-induced lipolysis, activin E promotes visceral fat accumulation, adipocyte hypertrophy and contributes to adipose dysfunction in mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that activin E elicits its effect on adipose tissue through ACVR1C, activating SMAD2/3 signaling and suppressing PPARG target genes. Conversely, loss of activin E or ACVR1C increases fat utilization, lowers adiposity and drives gene signatures indicative of healthy adipose function. Our studies identify activin E-ACVR1C as metabolic rheostat promoting liver-adipose crosstalk to preserve fat mass during prolonged fasting, a mechanism that is maladaptive in obese individuals.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE231444 | GEO | 2023/07/14

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Background Obesity is associated with changes in fat cell gene expression and metabolism. What drives these changes is not well understood. We aimed to explore fat cell epigenetics, i.e., DNA methylation, as one mediator of gene regulation, in obese women. The global DNA methylome for abdominal subcutaneous fat cells was compared between 15 obese case (BMI 41.4 ± 4.4 kg/m 2 , mean ± SD) and 14 never-obese control women (BMI 25.2 ± 2.5 kg/m 2 ). Global array-based transcriptome analysis was analyzed for subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) from 11 obese and 9 never-obese women. Limma was used for statistical analysis. Results We identified 5529 differentially methylated DNA sites (DMS) for 2223 differentially expressed genes between obese cases and never-obese controls (false discovery rate <5 %). The 5529 DMS displayed a median difference in beta value of 0.09 (range 0.01 to 0.40) between groups. DMS were under-represented in CpG islands and in promoter regions, and over-represented in open sea-regions and gene bodies. The 2223 differentially expressed genes with DMS were over-represented in key fat cell pathways: 31 of 130 (25 %) genes linked to “adipogenesis” (adjusted P = 1.66 × 10 −11 ), 31 of 163 (19 %) genes linked to “insulin signaling” (adjusted P = 1.91 × 10 −9 ), and 18 of 67 (27 %) of genes linked to “lipolysis” (P = 6.1 × 10 −5 ). In most cases, gene expression and DMS displayed reciprocal changes in obese women. Furthermore, among 99 candidate genes in genetic loci associated with body fat distribution in genome-wide association studies (GWAS); 22 genes displayed differential expression accompanied by DMS in obese versus never-obese women (P = 0.0002), supporting the notion that a significant proportion of gene loci linked to fat distribution are epigenetically regulated. Conclusions Subcutaneous WAT from obese women is characterized by congruent changes in DNA methylation and expression of genes linked to generation, distribution, and metabolic function of fat cells. These alterations may contribute to obesity-associated metabolic disturbances such as insulin resistance in women. The global DNA methylome in abdominal subcutaneous fat cells was compared between 15 obese cases (BMI 41.4±4.4 kg/m2, mean ± SD) and 14 never-obese control women (BMI 25.2±2.5 kg/m2).

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Activin E controls body fat distribution via suppression of adipose lipolysis in mice

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