RIIß-PKA in GABAergic Neurons of Dorsal Median Hypothalamus Governs White Adipose Browning.

ABSTRACT

The RIIß subunit of  cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) is expressed in the brain and adipose tissue. RIIß-knockout mice show leanness and increased UCP1 in brown adipose tissue. The authors have previously reported that RIIß reexpression in hypothalamic GABAergic neurons rescues the leanness. However, whether white adipose tissue (WAT) browning contributes to the leanness and whether RIIß-PKA in these neurons governs WAT browning are unknown. Here, this work reports that RIIß-KO mice exhibit a robust WAT browning. RIIß reexpression in dorsal median hypothalamic GABAergic neurons (DMH GABAergic neurons) abrogates WAT browning. Single-cell sequencing, transcriptome sequencing, and electrophysiological studies show increased GABAergic activity in DMH GABAergic neurons of RIIß-KO mice. Activation of DMH GABAergic neurons or inhibition of PKA in these neurons elicits WAT browning and thus lowers body weight. These findings reveal that RIIß-PKA in DMH GABAergic neurons regulates WAT browning. Targeting RIIß-PKA in DMH GABAergic neurons may offer a clinically useful way to promote WAT browning for treating obesity and other metabolic disorders.