Nedd4 haploinsufficient mice display moderate insulin resistance, enhanced lipolysis, and protection against high-fat diet-induced obesity

Endocrinology. 2015 Apr;156(4):1283-91. doi: 10.1210/en.2014-1909. Epub 2015 Jan 21.

Abstract

Neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated protein 4 (Nedd4) is the prototypical protein in the Nedd4 ubiquitin ligase (E3) family, which governs ubiquitin-dependent endocytosis and/or degradation of plasma membrane proteins. Loss of Nedd4 results in embryonic or neonatal lethality in mice and reduced insulin/IGF-1 signaling in embryonic fibroblasts. To delineate the roles of Nedd4 in vivo, we examined the phenotypes of heterozygous knockout mice using a high-fat diet-induced obesity (HFDIO) model. We observed that Nedd4+/- mice are moderately insulin resistant but paradoxically protected against HFDIO. After high-fat diet feeding, Nedd4+/- mice showed less body weight gain, less fat mass, and smaller adipocytes vs the wild type. Despite ameliorated HFDIO, Nedd4+/- mice did not manifest improvement in glucose tolerance vs the wild type in both genders. Nedd4+/- male, but not female, mice displayed significantly lower fasting blood glucose levels and serum insulin levels. Under obesogenic conditions, Nedd4+/- mice displayed elevated stimulated lipolytic activity, primarily through a β2-adrenergic receptor. Combined, these data support novel complex roles for Nedd4 in metabolic regulation involving altered insulin and β-adrenergic signaling pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipocytes / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Body Weight / genetics*
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport / genetics*
  • Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport / metabolism
  • Female
  • Haploinsufficiency
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Insulin Resistance / genetics*
  • Lipolysis / genetics*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases
  • Obesity / genetics*
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport
  • Insulin
  • Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases
  • Nedd4l protein, mouse
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases