Sirtuin 2 regulates cellular iron homeostasis via deacetylation of transcription factor NRF2

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Abstract

SIRT2 is a cytoplasmic sirtuin that plays a role in various cellular processes, including tumorigenesis, metabolism, and inflammation. Since these processes require iron, we hypothesized that SIRT2 directly regulates cellular iron homeostasis. Here, we have demonstrated that SIRT2 depletion results in a decrease in cellular iron levels both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we determined that SIRT2 maintains cellular iron levels by binding to and deacetylating nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2–related factor 2 (NRF2) on lysines 506 and 508, leading to a reduction in total and nuclear NRF2 levels. The reduction in nuclear NRF2 leads to reduced ferroportin 1 (FPN1) expression, which in turn results in decreased cellular iron export. Finally, we observed that Sirt2 deletion reduced cell viability in response to iron deficiency. Moreover, livers from Sirt2^–/– mice had decreased iron levels, while this effect was reversed in Sirt2^–/– Nrf2^–/– double-KO mice. Taken together, our results uncover a link between sirtuin proteins and direct control over cellular iron homeostasis via regulation of NRF2 deacetylation and stability.

Authors

Xiaoyan Yang, Seong-Hoon Park, Hsiang-Chun Chang, Jason S. Shapiro, Athanassios Vassilopoulos, Konrad T. Sawicki, Chunlei Chen, Meng Shang, Paul W. Burridge, Conrad L. Epting, Lisa D. Wilsbacher, Supak Jenkitkasemwong, Mitchell Knutson, David Gius, Hossein Ardehali

Angiotensin AT_1A receptors on leptin receptor–expressing cells control resting metabolism

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Abstract

Leptin contributes to the control of resting metabolic rate (RMR) and blood pressure (BP) through its actions in the arcuate nucleus (ARC). The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and angiotensin AT₁ receptors within the brain are also involved in the control of RMR and BP, but whether this regulation overlaps with leptin’s actions is unclear. Here, we have demonstrated the selective requirement of the AT_1A receptor in leptin-mediated control of RMR. We observed that AT_1A receptors colocalized with leptin receptors (LEPRs) in the ARC. Cellular coexpression of AT_1A and LEPR was almost exclusive to the ARC and occurred primarily within neurons expressing agouti-related peptide (AgRP). Mice lacking the AT_1A receptor specifically in LEPR-expressing cells failed to show an increase in RMR in response to a high-fat diet and deoxycorticosterone acetate–salt (DOCA-salt) treatments, but BP control remained intact. Accordingly, loss of RMR control was recapitulated in mice lacking AT_1A in AgRP-expressing cells. We conclude that angiotensin activates divergent mechanisms to control BP and RMR and that the brain RAS functions as a major integrator for RMR control through its actions at leptin-sensitive AgRP cells of the ARC.

Authors

Kristin E. Claflin, Jeremy A. Sandgren, Allyn M. Lambertz, Benjamin J. Weidemann, Nicole K. Littlejohn, Colin M.L. Burnett, Nicole A. Pearson, Donald A. Morgan, Katherine N. Gibson-Corley, Kamal Rahmouni, Justin L. Grobe

Targeting PPARγ in the epigenome rescues genetic metabolic defects in mice

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Abstract

Obesity causes insulin resistance, and PPARγ ligands such as rosiglitazone are insulin sensitizing, yet the mechanisms remain unclear. In C57BL/6 (B6) mice, obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) has major effects on visceral epididymal adipose tissue (eWAT). Here, we report that HFD-induced obesity in B6 mice also altered the activity of gene regulatory elements and genome-wide occupancy of PPARγ. Rosiglitazone treatment restored insulin sensitivity in obese B6 mice, yet, surprisingly, had little effect on gene expression in eWAT. However, in subcutaneous inguinal fat (iWAT), rosiglitazone markedly induced molecular signatures of brown fat, including the key thermogenic gene Ucp1. Obesity-resistant 129S1/SvImJ mice (129 mice) displayed iWAT browning, even in the absence of rosiglitazone. The 129 Ucp1 locus had increased PPARγ binding and gene expression that were preserved in the iWAT of B6x129 F1–intercrossed mice, with an imbalance favoring the 129-derived alleles, demonstrating a cis-acting genetic difference. Thus, B6 mice have genetically defective Ucp1 expression in iWAT. However, when Ucp1 was activated by rosiglitazone, or by iWAT browning in cold-exposed or young mice, expression of the B6 version of Ucp1 was no longer defective relative to the 129 version, indicating epigenomic rescue. These results provide a framework for understanding how environmental influences like drugs can affect the epigenome and potentially rescue genetically determined disease phenotypes.

Authors

Raymond E. Soccio, Zhenghui Li, Eric R. Chen, Yee Hoon Foong, Kiara K. Benson, Joanna R. Dispirito, Shannon E. Mullican, Matthew J. Emmett, Erika R. Briggs, Lindsey C. Peed, Richard K. Dzeng, Carlos J. Medina, Jennifer F. Jolivert, Megan Kissig, Satyajit R. Rajapurkar, Manashree Damle, Hee-Woong Lim, Kyoung-Jae Won, Patrick Seale, David J. Steger, Mitchell A. Lazar

Activation of murine pre-proglucagon–producing neurons reduces food intake and body weight

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Abstract

Peptides derived from pre-proglucagon (GCG peptides) act in both the periphery and the CNS to change food intake, glucose homeostasis, and metabolic rate while playing a role in anxiety behaviors and physiological responses to stress. Although the actions of GCG peptides produced in the gut and pancreas are well described, the role of glutamatergic GGC peptide–secreting hindbrain neurons in regulating metabolic homeostasis has not been investigated. Here, we have shown that chemogenetic stimulation of GCG-producing neurons reduces metabolic rate and food intake in fed and fasted states and suppresses glucose production without an effect on glucose uptake. Stimulation of GCG neurons had no effect on corticosterone secretion, body weight, or conditioned taste aversion. In the diet-induced obese state, the effects of GCG neuronal stimulation on gluconeogenesis were lost, while the food intake–lowering effects remained, resulting in reductions in body weight and adiposity. Our work suggests that GCG peptide–expressing neurons can alter feeding, metabolic rate, and glucose production independent of their effects on hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation, aversive conditioning, or insulin secretion. We conclude that GCG neurons likely stimulate separate populations of downstream cells to produce a change in food intake and glucose homeostasis and that these effects depend on the metabolic state of the animal.

Authors

Ronald P. Gaykema, Brandon A. Newmyer, Matteo Ottolini, Vidisha Raje, Daniel M. Warthen, Philip S. Lambeth, Maria Niccum, Ting Yao, Yiru Huang, Ira G. Schulman, Thurl E. Harris, Manoj K. Patel, Kevin W. Williams, Michael M. Scott

RNA-binding protein PSPC1 promotes the differentiation-dependent nuclear export of adipocyte RNAs

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Abstract

A highly orchestrated gene expression program establishes the properties that define mature adipocytes, but the contribution of posttranscriptional factors to the adipocyte phenotype is poorly understood. Here we have shown that the RNA-binding protein PSPC1, a component of the paraspeckle complex, promotes adipogenesis in vitro and is important for mature adipocyte function in vivo. Cross-linking and immunoprecipitation followed by RNA sequencing revealed that PSPC1 binds to intronic and 3′-untranslated regions of a number of adipocyte RNAs, including the RNA encoding the transcriptional regulator EBF1. Purification of the paraspeckle complex from adipocytes further showed that PSPC1 associates with the RNA export factor DDX3X in a differentiation-dependent manner. Remarkably, PSPC1 relocates from the nucleus to the cytoplasm during differentiation, coinciding with enhanced export of adipogenic RNAs. Mice lacking PSPC1 in fat displayed reduced lipid storage and adipose tissue mass and were resistant to diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance due to a compensatory increase in energy expenditure. These findings highlight a role for PSPC1-dependent RNA maturation in the posttranscriptional control of adipose development and function.

Authors

Jiexin Wang, Prashant Rajbhandari, Andrey Damianov, Areum Han, Tamer Sallam, Hironori Waki, Claudio J. Villanueva, Stephen D. Lee, Ronni Nielsen, Susanne Mandrup, Karen Reue, Stephen G. Young, Julian Whitelegge, Enrique Saez, Douglas L. Black, Peter Tontonoz

Adipose tissue B2 cells promote insulin resistance through leukotriene LTB4/LTB4R1 signaling

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Abstract

Tissue inflammation is a key component of obesity-induced insulin resistance, with a variety of immune cell types accumulating in adipose tissue. Here, we have demonstrated increased numbers of B2 lymphocytes in obese adipose tissue and have shown that high-fat diet–induced (HFD-induced) insulin resistance is mitigated in B cell-deficient (B^null) mice. Adoptive transfer of adipose tissue B2 cells (ATB2) from wild-type HFD donor mice into HFD B^null recipients completely restored the effect of HFD to induce insulin resistance. Recruitment and activation of ATB2 cells was mediated by signaling through the chemokine leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and its receptor LTB4R1. Furthermore, the adverse effects of ATB2 cells on glucose homeostasis were partially dependent upon T cells and macrophages. These results demonstrate the importance of ATB2 cells in obesity-induced insulin resistance and suggest that inhibition of the LTB4/LTB4R1 axis might be a useful approach for developing insulin-sensitizing therapeutics.

Authors

Wei Ying, Joshua Wollam, Jachelle M. Ofrecio, Gautam Bandyopadhyay, Dalila El Ouarrat, Yun Sok Lee, Da Young Oh, Pingping Li, Olivia Osborn, Jerrold M. Olefsky

Mechanism for leptin’s acute insulin-independent effect to reverse diabetic ketoacidosis

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Abstract

The mechanism by which leptin reverses diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is unknown. We examined the acute insulin-independent effects of leptin replacement therapy in a streptozotocin-induced rat model of DKA. Leptin infusion reduced rates of lipolysis, hepatic glucose production (HGP), and hepatic ketogenesis by 50% within 6 hours and were independent of any changes in plasma glucagon concentrations; these effects were abrogated by coinfusion of corticosterone. Treating leptin- and corticosterone-infused rats with an adipose triglyceride lipase inhibitor blocked corticosterone-induced increases in plasma glucose concentrations and rates of HGP and ketogenesis. Similarly, adrenalectomized type 1 diabetic (T1D) rats exhibited decreased rates of lipolysis, HGP, and ketogenesis; these effects were reversed by corticosterone infusion. Leptin-induced decreases in lipolysis, HGP, and ketogenesis in DKA were also nullified by relatively small increases (15 to 70 pM) in plasma insulin concentrations. In contrast, the chronic glucose-lowering effect of leptin in a STZ-induced mouse model of poorly controlled T1D was associated with decreased food intake, reduced plasma glucagon and corticosterone concentrations, and decreased ectopic lipid (triacylglycerol/diacylglycerol) content in liver and muscle. Collectively, these studies demonstrate marked differences in the acute insulin-independent effects by which leptin reverses fasting hyperglycemia and ketoacidosis in a rodent model of DKA versus the chronic pleotropic effects by which leptin reverses hyperglycemia in a non-DKA rodent model of T1D.

Authors

Rachel J. Perry, Liang Peng, Abudukadier Abulizi, Lynn Kennedy, Gary W. Cline, Gerald I. Shulman

Acute dietary fat intake initiates alterations in energy metabolism and insulin resistance

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Abstract

BACKGROUND. Dietary intake of saturated fat is a likely contributor to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and insulin resistance, but the mechanisms that initiate these abnormalities in humans remain unclear. We examined the effects of a single oral saturated fat load on insulin sensitivity, hepatic glucose metabolism, and lipid metabolism in humans. Similarly, initiating mechanisms were examined after an equivalent challenge in mice.

METHODS. Fourteen lean, healthy individuals randomly received either palm oil (PO) or vehicle (VCL). Hepatic metabolism was analyzed using in vivo ¹³C/³¹P/¹H and ex vivo ²H magnetic resonance spectroscopy before and during hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps with isotope dilution. Mice underwent identical clamp procedures and hepatic transcriptome analyses.

RESULTS. PO administration decreased whole-body, hepatic, and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity by 25%, 15%, and 34%, respectively. Hepatic triglyceride and ATP content rose by 35% and 16%, respectively. Hepatic gluconeogenesis increased by 70%, and net glycogenolysis declined by 20%. Mouse transcriptomics revealed that PO differentially regulates predicted upstream regulators and pathways, including LPS, members of the TLR and PPAR families, NF-κB, and TNF-related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK).

CONCLUSION. Saturated fat ingestion rapidly increases hepatic lipid storage, energy metabolism, and insulin resistance. This is accompanied by regulation of hepatic gene expression and signaling that may contribute to development of NAFLD.

REGISTRATION. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01736202.

FUNDING. Germany: Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Research North Rhine–Westfalia, German Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, German Center for Diabetes Research, German Research Foundation, and German Diabetes Association. Portugal: Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, FEDER – European Regional Development Fund, Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, and Rede Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear.

Authors

Elisa Álvarez Hernández, Sabine Kahl, Anett Seelig, Paul Begovatz, Martin Irmler, Yuliya Kupriyanova, Bettina Nowotny, Peter Nowotny, Christian Herder, Cristina Barosa, Filipa Carvalho, Jan Rozman, Susanne Neschen, John G. Jones, Johannes Beckers, Martin Hrabě de Angelis, Michael Roden

Impaired SUMOylation of nuclear receptor LRH-1 promotes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

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Abstract

Hepatic steatosis is caused by metabolic imbalances that could be explained in part by an increase in de novo lipogenesis that results from increased sterol element binding protein 1 (SREBP-1) activity. The nuclear receptor liver receptor homolog 1 (LRH-1) is an important regulator of intermediary metabolism in the liver, but its role in regulating lipogenesis is not well understood. Here, we have assessed the contribution of LRH-1 SUMOylation to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Mice expressing a SUMOylation-defective mutant of LRH-1 (LRH-1 K289R mice) developed NAFLD and early signs of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) when challenged with a lipogenic, high-fat, high-sucrose diet. Moreover, we observed that the LRH-1 K289R mutation induced the expression of oxysterol binding protein-like 3 (OSBPL3), enhanced SREBP-1 processing, and promoted de novo lipogenesis. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that ectopic expression of OSBPL3 facilitates SREBP-1 processing in WT mice, while silencing hepatic Osbpl3 reverses the lipogenic phenotype of LRH-1 K289R mice. These findings suggest that compromised SUMOylation of LRH-1 promotes the development of NAFLD under lipogenic conditions through regulation of OSBPL3.

Authors

Sokrates Stein, Vera Lemos, Pan Xu, Hadrien Demagny, Xu Wang, Dongryeol Ryu, Veronica Jimenez, Fatima Bosch, Thomas F. Lüscher, Maaike H. Oosterveer, Kristina Schoonjans

G_sα deficiency in the dorsomedial hypothalamus underlies obesity associated with G_sα mutations

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Abstract

G_sα, encoded by Gnas, mediates hormone and neurotransmitter receptor–stimulated cAMP generation. Heterozygous G_sα-inactivating mutations lead to obesity in Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) patients, but only when the mutations occur on the maternal allele. This parent-of-origin effect is due to G_sα imprinting in the CNS, although the relevant CNS regions are unknown. We have now shown that mice with a Gnas gene deletion disrupting G_sα expression on the maternal allele, but not the paternal allele, in the dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (DMH) developed obesity and reduced energy expenditure without hyperphagia. Although maternal Gnas deletion impaired activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in mice, their responses to cold environment remained intact. Similar findings were observed in mice with DMH-specific deficiency of melanocortin MC4R receptors, which are known to activate G_sα. Our results show that G_sα imprinting in the DMH underlies the parent-of-origin metabolic phenotype that results from G_sα mutations and that DMH MC4R/G_sα signaling is important for regulation of energy expenditure and BAT activation, but not the metabolic response to cold.

Authors

Min Chen, Yogendra B. Shrestha, Brandon Podyma, Zhenzhong Cui, Benedetta Naglieri, Hui Sun, Thuy Ho, Eric A. Wilson, Yong-Qi Li, Oksana Gavrilova, Lee S. Weinstein