A novel thermoregulatory role for PDE10A in mouse and human adipocytes.

Phosphodiesterase type 10A (PDE10A) is highly enriched in striatum and is under evaluation as a drug target for several psychiatric/neurodegenerative diseases. Preclinical studies implicate PDE10A in the regulation of energy homeostasis, but the mechanisms remain unclear. By utilizing small-animal PET/MRI and the novel radioligand [(18)F]-AQ28A, we found marked levels of PDE10A in interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) of mice. Pharmacological inactivation of PDE10A with the highly selective inhibitor MP-10 recruited BAT and potentiated thermogenesis in vivo In diet-induced obese mice, chronic administration of MP-10 caused weight loss associated with increased energy expenditure, browning of white adipose tissue, and improved insulin sensitivity. Analysis of human PET data further revealed marked levels of PDE10A in the supraclavicular region where brown/beige adipocytes are clustered in adults. Finally, the inhibition of PDE10A with MP-10 stimulated thermogenic gene expression in human brown adipocytes and induced browning of human white adipocytes. Collectively, our findings highlight a novel thermoregulatory role for PDE10A in mouse and human adipocytes and promote PDE10A inhibitors as promising candidates for the treatment of obesity and diabetes.

Differential effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery on brown and beige adipose tissue thermogenesis.

BACKGROUND: There are numerous reports of increased energy expenditure after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery in humans and rodent models but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the present study we assessed at the gene expression level whether RYGB leads to recruitment of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and/or beige adipose tissue (BeAT) as a means of enhanced facultative thermogenesis and increased energy expenditure after surgery. METHODS: Diet-induced obese male Wistar rats were randomized into RYGB-operated (n=10), sham-operated ad libitum fed (Sham) (n=7) or sham-operated body weight matched (BWM) to RYGB groups (n=7). At a stage of postoperatively stabilized weight reduction, BAT (interscapular), subcutaneous (inguinal) and visceral (epididymal and perirenal) white adipose tissue (WAT) depots were collected in the fasted state. Expression of thermoregulatory genes (UCP1, CIDEA and PRDM16) in BAT and WAT as well as specific markers of BeAT (Ear2 and TMEM26) in WAT was analyzed using RT-qPCR. RESULTS: Compared to Sham rats, UCP1 mRNA expression in BAT was significantly reduced in BWM, but not in RYGB rats. No differences in mRNA expression were found for thermoregulatory proteins or for markers of BeAT in subcutaneous or visceral WAT depots between RYGB and Sham groups. CONCLUSION: The compensatory decrease in BAT thermogenic gene expression typically associated with body weight loss is attenuated after RYGB which, as opposed to recruitment of BeAT, may contribute to overall increases in energy expenditure and weight loss maintenance after surgery.