Myeloid-Cell-Derived VEGF Maintains Brain Glucose Uptake and Limits Cognitive Impairment in Obesity.

High-fat diet (HFD) feeding induces rapid reprogramming of systemic metabolism. Here, we demonstrate that HFD feeding of mice downregulates glucose transporter (GLUT)-1 expression in blood-brain barrier (BBB) vascular endothelial cells (BECs) and reduces brain glucose uptake. Upon prolonged HFD feeding, GLUT1 expression is restored, which is paralleled by increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in macrophages at the BBB. In turn, inducible reduction of GLUT1 expression specifically in BECs reduces brain glucose uptake and increases VEGF serum concentrations in lean mice. Conversely, myeloid-cell-specific deletion of VEGF in VEGF(Δmyel) mice impairs BBB-GLUT1 expression, brain glucose uptake, and memory formation in obese, but not in lean mice. Moreover, obese VEGF(Δmyel) mice exhibit exaggerated progression of cognitive decline and neuroinflammation on an Alzheimer's disease background. These experiments reveal that transient, HFD-elicited reduction of brain glucose uptake initiates a compensatory increase of VEGF production and assign obesity-associated macrophage activation a homeostatic role to restore cerebral glucose metabolism, preserve cognitive function, and limit neurodegeneration in obesity.

Insulin modulates emotional behavior through a serotonin-dependent mechanism.

Type-2 Diabetes (T2D) is characterized by insulin resistance and accompanied by psychiatric comorbidities including major depressive disorders (MDD). Patients with T2D are twice more likely to suffer from MDD and clinical studies have shown that insulin resistance is positively correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms. However, the potential contribution of central insulin signaling in MDD in patients with T2D remains elusive. Here we hypothesized that insulin modulates the serotonergic (5-HT) system to control emotional behavior and that insulin resistance in 5-HT neurons contributes to the development of mood disorders in T2D. Our results show that insulin directly modulates the activity of dorsal raphe (DR) 5-HT neurons to dampen 5-HT neurotransmission through a 5-HT1A receptor-mediated inhibitory feedback. In addition, insulin-induced 5-HT neuromodulation is necessary to promote anxiolytic-like effect in response to intranasal insulin delivery. Interestingly, such an anxiolytic effect of intranasal insulin as well as the response of DR 5-HT neurons to insulin are both blunted in high-fat diet-fed T2D animals. Altogether, these findings point to a novel mechanism by which insulin directly modulates the activity of DR 5-HT neurons to dampen 5-HT neurotransmission and control emotional behaviors, and emphasize the idea that impaired insulin-sensitivity in these neurons is critical for the development of T2D-associated mood disorders.

Molecular effects of dietary fatty acids on brain insulin action and mitochondrial function.

The prevalence of obesity and its co-morbidities such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are tightly linked to increased ingestion of palatable fat enriched food. Thus, it seems intuitive that the brain senses elevated amounts of fatty acids (FAs) and affects adaptive metabolic response, which is connected to mitochondrial function and insulin signaling. This review will address the effect of dietary FAs on brain insulin and mitochondrial function with a special emphasis on the impact of different FAs on brain function and metabolism.

Insulin resistance in brain alters dopamine turnover and causes behavioral disorders.

Diabetes and insulin resistance are associated with altered brain imaging, depression, and increased rates of age-related cognitive impairment. Here we demonstrate that mice with a brain-specific knockout of the insulin receptor (NIRKO mice) exhibit brain mitochondrial dysfunction with reduced mitochondrial oxidative activity, increased levels of reactive oxygen species, and increased levels of lipid and protein oxidation in the striatum and nucleus accumbens. NIRKO mice also exhibit increased levels of monoamine oxidase A and B (MAO A and B) leading to increased dopamine turnover in these areas. Studies in cultured neurons and glia cells indicate that these changes in MAO A and B are a direct consequence of loss of insulin signaling. As a result, NIRKO mice develop age-related anxiety and depressive-like behaviors that can be reversed by treatment with MAO inhibitors, as well as the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine, which inhibits MAO activity and reduces oxidative stress. Thus, insulin resistance in brain induces mitochondrial and dopaminergic dysfunction leading to anxiety and depressive-like behaviors, demonstrating a potential molecular link between central insulin resistance and behavioral disorders.

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptors are required for normal expression of imprinted genes.

In addition to signaling through the classical tyrosine kinase pathway, recent studies indicate that insulin receptors (IRs) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) receptors (IGF1Rs) can emit signals in the unoccupied state through some yet-to-be-defined noncanonical pathways. Here we show that cells lacking both IRs and IGF1Rs exhibit a major decrease in expression of multiple imprinted genes and microRNAs, which is partially mimicked by inactivation of IR alone in mouse embryonic fibroblasts or in vivo in brown fat in mice. This down-regulation is accompanied by changes in DNA methylation of differentially methylated regions related to these loci. Different from a loss of imprinting pattern, loss of IR and IGF1R causes down-regulated expression of both maternally and paternally expressed imprinted genes and microRNAs, including neighboring reciprocally imprinted genes. Thus, the unoccupied IR and IGF1R generate previously unidentified signals that control expression of imprinted genes and miRNAs through transcriptional mechanisms that are distinct from classical imprinting control.

Riboflavin kinase couples TNF receptor 1 to NADPH oxidase.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by NADPH oxidase function as defence and signalling molecules related to innate immunity and various cellular responses. The activation of NADPH oxidase in response to plasma membrane receptor activation depends on the phosphorylation of cytoplasmic oxidase subunits, their translocation to membranes and the assembly of all NADPH oxidase components. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a prominent stimulus of ROS production, but the molecular mechanisms by which TNF activates NADPH oxidase are poorly understood. Here we identify riboflavin kinase (RFK, formerly known as flavokinase) as a previously unrecognized TNF-receptor-1 (TNFR1)-binding protein that physically and functionally couples TNFR1 to NADPH oxidase. In mouse and human cells, RFK binds to both the TNFR1-death domain and to p22(phox), the common subunit of NADPH oxidase isoforms. RFK-mediated bridging of TNFR1 and p22(phox) is a prerequisite for TNF-induced but not for Toll-like-receptor-induced ROS production. Exogenous flavin mononucleotide or FAD was able to substitute fully for TNF stimulation of NADPH oxidase in RFK-deficient cells. RFK is rate-limiting in the synthesis of FAD, an essential prosthetic group of NADPH oxidase. The results suggest that TNF, through the activation of RFK, enhances the incorporation of FAD in NADPH oxidase enzymes, a critical step for the assembly and activation of NADPH oxidase.

High-fat diet alters N-glycosylation of PTPRJ in murine liver.

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) regulate multiple signaling pathways. Disruption of tyrosine phosphorylation through imbalanced action between protein tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and PTPs is a hallmark of metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance. A representative member of the receptor-type PTP family, PTPRJ (DEP-1), was previously identified as a negative regulator of insulin signaling and possesses post-translational glycosylation sites. In this regard, it seems of great importance to decipher the structure of PTPRJ's glycosylation, particularly in the context of metabolic disturbances, but this has not been done in detail. Thus, here we aimed at characterizing the glycosylation pattern of PTPRJ in liver. We show that N-glycosylation accounts for up to half of PTPRJ's molecular weight. Applying mass spectrometry, we detected increased levels of high-mannose structures in PTPRJ in liver tissue of obese mice compared to lean littermates. In addition, complex neutral structures without fucose were also elevated in PTPRJ of high-fat diet (HFD) mice. Conversely, complex fucosylated N-glycans as well as sialylated bi- and triantennary N-glycans, were significantly reduced in PTPRJ of HFD-derived liver tissue compared to LFD by ∼two fold (P≤.01, P≤.0001 and P≤.001, respectively). In congruence with these findings, the mannosidase MAN2A1, responsible for the conversion of high-mannose to complex N-glycans, was significantly downregulated under HFD conditions. Here we present for the first time that HFD-induced obesity impacts on the glycosylation pattern of the insulin signaling component PTPRJ in liver. These findings may inspire new research on the glycosylation of PTPs in metabolic diseases and may open up new therapeutic approaches.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus Sex-Specifically Attenuates Depressive-like Behavior and Mitigates Metabolic Consequences in Obesity.

Background: Patients with diabetes exhibit an increased prevalence for emotional disorders compared with healthy humans, partially due to a shared pathogenesis including hormone resistance and inflammation, which is also linked to intestinal dysbiosis. The preventive intake of probiotic lactobacilli has been shown to improve dysbiosis along with mood and metabolism. Yet, a potential role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus 0030) (LR) in improving emotional behavior in established obesity and the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Methods: Female and male C57BL/6N mice were fed a low-fat diet (10% kcal from fat) or high-fat diet (HFD) (45% kcal from fat) for 6 weeks, followed by daily oral gavage of vehicle or 1 × 108 colony-forming units of LR, and assessment of anxiety- and depressive-like behavior. Cecal microbiota composition was analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid were collected for metabolomic analysis, and gene expression of different brain areas was assessed using reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: We observed that 12 weeks of HFD feeding induced hyperinsulinemia, which was attenuated by LR application only in female mice. On the contrary, HFD-fed male mice exhibited increased anxiety- and depressive-like behavior, where the latter was specifically attenuated by LR application, which was independent of metabolic changes. Furthermore, LR application restored the HFD-induced decrease of tyrosine hydroxylase, along with normalizing cholecystokinin gene expression in dopaminergic brain regions; both tyrosine hydroxylase and cholecystokinin are involved in signaling pathways impacting emotional disorders. Conclusions: Our data show that LR attenuates depressive-like behavior after established obesity, with changes in the dopaminergic system in male mice, and mitigates hyperinsulinemia in obese female mice.

Deficiency of the splicing factor Sfrs10 results in early embryonic lethality in mice and has no impact on full-length SMN/Smn splicing.

The SR-like splicing factor SFRS10 (Htra2-beta1) is well known to influence various alternatively spliced exons without being an essential splicing factor. We have shown earlier that SFRS10 binds SMN1/SMN2 RNA and restores full-length (FL)-SMN2 mRNA levels in vitro. As SMN1 is absent in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the level of FL-SMN2 determines the disease severity. Correct splicing of SMN2 can be facilitated by histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) via upregulation of SFRS10. As HDACis are already used in SMA clinical trials, it is crucial to identify the spectrum of alternatively spliced transcripts modulated by SFRS10, because elevated SFRS10 levels may influence or misregulate also other biological processes. To address this issue, we generated a conditional Sfrs10 allele in mice using the Cre/loxP system. The ubiquitous homozygous deletion of Sfrs10, however, resulted in early embryonic lethality around E7.5, indicating an essential role of Sfrs10 during mouse embryogenesis. Deletion of Sfrs10 with recombinant Cre in murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from Sfrs10(fl/fl) embryos increased the low levels of SmnDelta7 3-4-fold, without affecting FL-Smn levels. The weak influence of Sfrs10 on Smn splicing was further proven by a Hb9-Cre driven motor neuron-specific deletion of Sfrs10 in mice, which developed normally without revealing any SMA phenotype. To assess the role of Sfrs10 on FL-SMN2 splicing, we established MEFs from Smn(-/-);SMN2(tg/tg);Sfrs10(fl/fl) embryos. Surprisingly, deletion of Sfrs10 by recombinant Cre showed no impact on SMN2 splicing but increased SMN levels. Our findings highlight the complexity by which alternatively spliced exons are regulated in vivo.

Obesity Hinders the Protective Effect of Selenite Supplementation on Insulin Signaling.

The intake of high-fat diets (HFDs) containing large amounts of saturated long-chain fatty acids leads to obesity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin resistance. The trace element selenium, as a crucial part of antioxidative selenoproteins, can protect against the development of diet-induced insulin resistance in white adipose tissue (WAT) by increasing glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) and insulin receptor (IR) expression. Whether selenite (Se) can attenuate insulin resistance in established lipotoxic and obese conditions is unclear. We confirm that GPX3 mRNA expression in adipose tissue correlates with BMI in humans. Cultivating 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes in palmitate-containing medium followed by Se treatment attenuates insulin resistance with enhanced GPx3 and IR expression and adipocyte differentiation. However, feeding obese mice a selenium-enriched high-fat diet (SRHFD) only resulted in a modest increase in overall selenoprotein gene expression in WAT in mice with unaltered body weight development, glucose tolerance, and insulin resistance. While Se supplementation improved adipocyte morphology, it did not alter WAT insulin sensitivity. However, mice fed a SRHFD exhibited increased insulin content in the pancreas. Overall, while selenite protects against palmitate-induced insulin resistance in vitro, obesity impedes the effect of selenite on insulin action and adipose tissue metabolism in vivo.

Benfotiamine protects against hypothalamic dysfunction in a STZ-induced model of neurodegeneration in rats.

The neurodegeneration of Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects not only brain structures associate with cognition early in the progression of the disease, but other areas such as the hypothalamus, a region involved in the control of metabolism and appetite. In this context, we evaluated the effects of benfotiamine (BFT), a vitamin B1 analog that is being proposed as a therapeutical approach for AD-related cognitive alterations, which were induced by intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin (STZ). In addition to the already described effect of STZ on cognition, we show that this drug also causes metabolic changes which are linked to changes in hypothalamic insulin signaling and orexigenic and anorexigenic circuitries, as well as a decreased cellular integrated stress response. As expected, the supplementation with 150 mg/kg of BFT for 30 days increased blood concentrations of thiamine and its phosphate esters. This led to the prevention of body weight and fat loss in STZ-ICV-treated animals. In addition, we also found an improvement in food consumption, despite hypothalamic gene expression linked to anorexia after STZ exposure. Additionally, decreased apoptosis signaling was observed in the hypothalamus. In in vitro experiments, we noticed a high ability of BFT to increase insulin sensitivity in hypothalamic neurons. Furthermore, we also observed that BFT decreases the mitochondrial unfolded stress response damage by preventing the loss of HSP60 and reversed the mitochondria dysfunction caused by STZ. Taken together, these results suggest that benfotiamine treatment is a potential therapeutic approach in the treatment of hypothalamic dysfunction and metabolic disturbances associated with sporadic AD.

Hepatic Bax inhibitor-1 inhibits IRE1alpha and protects from obesity-associated insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.

The unfolded protein response (UPR) or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response is a physiological process enabling cells to cope with altered protein synthesis demands. However, under conditions of obesity, prolonged activation of the UPR has been shown to have deteriorating effects on different metabolic pathways. Here we identify Bax inhibitor-1 (BI-1), an evolutionary conserved ER-membrane protein, as a novel modulator of the obesity-associated alteration of the UPR. BI-1 partially inhibits the UPR by interacting with IRE1alpha and inhibiting IRE1alpha endonuclease activity as seen on the splicing of the transcription factor Xbp-1. Because we observed a down-regulation of BI-1 expression in liver and muscle of genetically obese ob/ob and db/db mice as well as in mice with diet-induced obesity in vivo, we investigated the effect of restoring BI-1 expression on metabolic processes in these mice. Importantly, BI-1 overexpression by adenoviral gene transfer dramatically improved glucose metabolism in both standard diet-fed mice as well as in mice with diet-induced obesity and, critically, reversed hyperglycemia in db/db mice. This improvement in whole body glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity was due to dramatically reduced gluconeogenesis as shown by reduction of glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase expression. Taken together, these results identify BI-1 as a critical regulator of ER stress responses in the development of obesity-associated insulin resistance and provide proof of concept evidence that gene transfer-mediated elevations in hepatic BI-1 may represent a promising approach for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Untangling the effect of insulin action on brain mitochondria and metabolism.

The regulation of energy homeostasis is controlled by the brain and, besides requiring high amounts of energy, it relies on functional insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 signalling in the central nervous system. This energy is mainly provided by mitochondria in form of ATP. Thus, there is an intricate interplay between mitochondrial function and insulin/IGF-1 action to enable functional brain signalling and, accordingly, propagate a healthy metabolism. To adapt to different nutritional conditions, the brain is able to sense the current energy status via mitochondrial and insulin signalling-dependent pathways and exerts an appropriate metabolic response. However, regional, cell type and receptor-specific consequences of this interaction occur and are linked to diverse outcomes such as altered nutrient sensing, body weight regulation or even cognitive function. Impairments of this cross-talk can lead to obesity and glucose intolerance and are linked to neurodegenerative diseases, yet they also induce a self-sustainable, dysfunctional 'metabolic triangle' characterised by insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation in the brain. The identification of causal factors deteriorating insulin action, mitochondrial function and concomitantly a signature of metabolic stress in the brain is of utter importance to offer novel mechanistic insights into development of the continuously rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and neurodegeneration. This review aims to determine the effect of insulin action on brain mitochondrial function and energy metabolism. It precisely outlines the interaction and differences between insulin action, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 signalling and mitochondrial function; distinguishes between causality and association; and reveals its consequences for metabolism and cognition. We hypothesise that an improvement of at least one signalling pathway can overcome the vicious cycle of a self-perpetuating metabolic dysfunction in the brain present in metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.

HSP60 reduction protects against diet-induced obesity by modulating energy metabolism in adipose tissue.

OBJECTIVE: Insulin regulates mitochondrial function, thereby propagating an efficient metabolism. Conversely, diabetes and insulin resistance are linked to mitochondrial dysfunction with a decreased expression of the mitochondrial chaperone HSP60. The aim of this investigation was to determine the effect of a reduced HSP60 expression on the development of obesity and insulin resistance. METHODS: Control and heterozygous whole-body HSP60 knockout (Hsp60+/-) mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD, 60% calories from fat) for 16 weeks and subjected to extensive metabolic phenotyping. To understand the effect of HSP60 on white adipose tissue, microarray analysis of gonadal WAT was performed, ex vivo experiments were performed, and a lentiviral knockdown of HSP60 in 3T3-L1 cells was conducted to gain detailed insights into the effect of reduced HSP60 levels on adipocyte homeostasis. RESULTS: Male Hsp60+/- mice exhibited lower body weight with lower fat mass. These mice exhibited improved insulin sensitivity compared to control, as assessed by Matsuda Index and HOMA-IR. Accordingly, insulin levels were significantly reduced in Hsp60+/- mice in a glucose tolerance test. However, Hsp60+/- mice exhibited an altered adipose tissue metabolism with elevated insulin-independent glucose uptake, adipocyte hyperplasia in the presence of mitochondrial dysfunction, altered autophagy, and local insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: We discovered that the reduction of HSP60 in mice predominantly affects adipose tissue homeostasis, leading to beneficial alterations in body weight, body composition, and adipocyte morphology, albeit exhibiting local insulin resistance.

Hemicentin-1 is an essential extracellular matrix component of the dermal-epidermal and myotendinous junctions.

The extracellular matrix architecture is composed of supramolecular fibrillar networks that define tissue specific cellular microenvironments. Hemicentins (Hmcn1 and Hmcn2) are ancient and very large members (> 600 kDa) of the fibulin family, whose short members are known to guide proper morphology and functional behavior of specialized cell types predominantly in elastic tissues. However, the tissue distribution and function of Hemicentins within the cellular microenvironment of connective tissues has remained largely unknown. Performing in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence analyses, we found that mouse Hmcn1 and Hmcn2 show a complementary distribution throughout different tissues and developmental stages. In postnatal dermal-epidermal junctions (DEJ) and myotendinous junctions (MTJ), Hmcn1 is primarily produced by mesenchymal cells (fibroblasts, tenocytes), Hmcn2 by cells of epithelial origin (keratinocytes, myocytes). Hmcn1-/- mice are viable and show no overt phenotypes in tissue tensile strength and locomotion tests. However, transmission electron microscopy revealed ultrastructural basement membrane (BM) alterations at the DEJ and MTJ of Hmcn1-/- mice, pointing to a thus far unknown role of Hmcn1 for BM and connective tissue boundary integrity.

Central Acting Hsp10 Regulates Mitochondrial Function, Fatty Acid Metabolism, and Insulin Sensitivity in the Hypothalamus.

Mitochondria are critical for hypothalamic function and regulators of metabolism. Hypothalamic mitochondrial dysfunction with decreased mitochondrial chaperone expression is present in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Recently, we demonstrated that a dysregulated mitochondrial stress response (MSR) with reduced chaperone expression in the hypothalamus is an early event in obesity development due to insufficient insulin signaling. Although insulin activates this response and improves metabolism, the metabolic impact of one of its members, the mitochondrial chaperone heat shock protein 10 (Hsp10), is unknown. Thus, we hypothesized that a reduction of Hsp10 in hypothalamic neurons will impair mitochondrial function and impact brain insulin action. Therefore, we investigated the role of chaperone Hsp10 by introducing a lentiviral-mediated Hsp10 knockdown (KD) in the hypothalamic cell line CLU-183 and in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of C57BL/6N male mice. We analyzed mitochondrial function and insulin signaling utilizing qPCR, Western blot, XF96 Analyzer, immunohistochemistry, and microscopy techniques. We show that Hsp10 expression is reduced in T2D mice brains and regulated by leptin in vitro. Hsp10 KD in hypothalamic cells induced mitochondrial dysfunction with altered fatty acid metabolism and increased mitochondria-specific oxidative stress resulting in neuronal insulin resistance. Consequently, the reduction of Hsp10 in the ARC of C57BL/6N mice caused hypothalamic insulin resistance with acute liver insulin resistance.

Orexin receptors 1 and 2 in serotonergic neurons differentially regulate peripheral glucose metabolism in obesity.

The wake-active orexin system plays a central role in the dynamic regulation of glucose homeostasis. Here we show orexin receptor type 1 and 2 are predominantly expressed in dorsal raphe nucleus-dorsal and -ventral, respectively. Serotonergic neurons in ventral median raphe nucleus and raphe pallidus selectively express orexin receptor type 1. Inactivation of orexin receptor type 1 in serotonin transporter-expressing cells of mice reduced insulin sensitivity in diet-induced obesity, mainly by decreasing glucose utilization in brown adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Selective inactivation of orexin receptor type 2 improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in obese mice, mainly through a decrease in hepatic gluconeogenesis. Optogenetic activation of orexin neurons in lateral hypothalamus or orexinergic fibers innervating raphe pallidus impaired or improved glucose tolerance, respectively. Collectively, the present study assigns orexin signaling in serotonergic neurons critical, yet differential orexin receptor type 1- and 2-dependent functions in the regulation of systemic glucose homeostasis.

Enhanced Stat3 activation in POMC neurons provokes negative feedback inhibition of leptin and insulin signaling in obesity.

Leptin-stimulated Stat3 activation in proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-expressing neurons of the hypothalamus plays an important role in maintenance of energy homeostasis. While Stat3 activation in POMC neurons is required for POMC expression, the role of elevated basal Stat3 activation as present in the development of obesity has not been directly addressed. Here, we have generated and characterized mice expressing a constitutively active version of Stat3 (Stat3-C) in POMC neurons (Stat3-C(POMC) mice). On normal chow diet, these animals develop obesity as a result of hyperphagia and decreased POMC expression accompanied by central leptin and insulin resistance. This unexpected finding coincides with POMC-cell-specific, Stat3-mediated upregulation of SOCS3 expression inhibiting both leptin and insulin signaling as insulin-stimulated PIP(3) (phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5 triphosphate) formation and protein kinase B (AKT) activation in POMC neurons as well as with the fact that insulin's ability to hyperpolarize POMC neurons is largely reduced in POMC cells of Stat3-C(POMC) mice. These data indicate that constitutive Stat3 activation is not sufficient to promote POMC expression but requires simultaneous PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)-dependent release of FOXO1 repression. In contrast, upon exposure to a high-fat diet, food intake and body weight were unaltered in Stat3-C(POMC) mice compared with control mice. Taken together, these experiments directly demonstrate that enhanced basal Stat3 activation in POMC neurons as present in control mice upon high-fat feeding contributes to the development of hypothalamic leptin and insulin resistance.

Cell autonomous requirement of neurofibromin (Nf1) for postnatal muscle hypertrophic growth and metabolic homeostasis.

BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a multi-organ disease caused by mutations in neurofibromin 1 (NF1). Amongst other features, NF1 patients frequently show reduced muscle mass and strength, impairing patients' mobility and increasing the risk of fall. The role of Nf1 in muscle and the cause for the NF1-associated myopathy are mostly unknown. METHODS: To dissect the function of Nf1 in muscle, we created muscle-specific knockout mouse models for NF1, inactivating Nf1 in the prenatal myogenic lineage either under the Lbx1 promoter or under the Myf5 promoter. Mice were analysed during prenatal and postnatal myogenesis and muscle growth. RESULTS: Nf1Lbx1 and Nf1Myf5 animals showed only mild defects in prenatal myogenesis. Nf1Lbx1 animals were perinatally lethal, while Nf1Myf5 animals survived only up to approximately 25 weeks. A comprehensive phenotypic characterization of Nf1Myf5 animals showed decreased postnatal growth, reduced muscle size, and fast fibre atrophy. Proteome and transcriptome analyses of muscle tissue indicated decreased protein synthesis and increased proteasomal degradation, and decreased glycolytic and increased oxidative activity in muscle tissue. High-resolution respirometry confirmed enhanced oxidative metabolism in Nf1Myf5 muscles, which was concomitant to a fibre type shift from type 2B to type 2A and type 1. Moreover, Nf1Myf5 muscles showed hallmarks of decreased activation of mTORC1 and increased expression of atrogenes. Remarkably, loss of Nf1 promoted a robust activation of AMPK with a gene expression profile indicative of increased fatty acid catabolism. Additionally, we observed a strong induction of genes encoding catabolic cytokines in muscle Nf1Myf5 animals, in line with a drastic reduction of white, but not brown adipose tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate a cell autonomous role for Nf1 in myogenic cells during postnatal muscle growth required for metabolic and proteostatic homeostasis. Furthermore, Nf1 deficiency in muscle drives cross-tissue communication and mobilization of lipid reserves.