Gab2 deficiency suppresses high-fat diet-induced obesity by reducing adipose tissue inflammation and increasing brown adipose function in mice

Cell Death Dis. 2021 Feb 26;12(2):212. doi: 10.1038/s41419-021-03519-9.

Abstract

Obesity is caused by a long-term imbalance between energy intake and consumption and is regulated by multiple signals. This study investigated the effect of signaling scaffolding protein Gab2 on obesity and its relevant regulation mechanism. Gab2 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice were fed with a standard diet (SD) or high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. The results showed that the a high-fat diet-induced Gab2 expression in adipose tissues, but deletion of Gab2 attenuated weight gain and improved glucose tolerance in mice fed with a high-fat diet. White adipose tissue and systemic inflammations were reduced in HFD-fed Gab2 deficiency mice. Gab2 deficiency increased the expression of Ucp1 and other thermogenic genes in brown adipose tissue. Furthermore, the regulation of Gab2 on the mature differentiation and function of adipocytes was investigated in vitro using primary or immortalized brown preadipocytes. The expression of brown fat-selective genes was found to be elevated in differentiated adipocytes without Gab2. The mechanism of Gab2 regulating Ucp1 expression in brown adipocytes involved with its downstream PI3K (p85)-Akt-FoxO1 signaling pathway. Our research suggests that deletion of Gab2 suppresses diet-induced obesity by multiple pathways and Gab2 may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity and associated complications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / deficiency*
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / genetics
  • Adipose Tissue, Brown / metabolism*
  • Adipose Tissue, Brown / physiopathology
  • Adipose Tissue, White / metabolism*
  • Adipose Tissue, White / physiopathology
  • Adiposity
  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Class Ia Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase / metabolism
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Energy Metabolism*
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1 / metabolism
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Obesity / genetics
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / physiopathology
  • Obesity / prevention & control*
  • Panniculitis / genetics
  • Panniculitis / metabolism
  • Panniculitis / physiopathology
  • Panniculitis / prevention & control*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Uncoupling Protein 1 / metabolism
  • Weight Gain

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Blood Glucose
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1
  • Foxo1 protein, mouse
  • Gab2 protein, mouse
  • Ucp1 protein, mouse
  • Uncoupling Protein 1
  • Class Ia Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt