Hypothalamic FTO promotes high-fat diet-induced leptin resistance in mice through increasing CX3CL1 expression

Abstract

Long-term consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) disrupts energy homeostasis and leads to weight gain. The fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene has been consistently identified to be associated with HFD-induced obesity. The hypothalamus is crucial for regulating energy balance, and HFD-induced hypothalamic leptin resistance contributes to obesity. FTO, an N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) RNA methylation regulator, may be a key mediator of leptin resistance. However, the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the association between FTO and leptin resistance. After HFD or standard diet (SD) feeding in male mice for 22 weeks, m⁶A-sequencing and western blotting assays were used to identify target genes and assess protein level, and molecular interaction changes. CRISPR/Cas9 gene knockout system was employed to investigate the potential function of FTO in leptin resistance and obesity. Our data showed that chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1 (CX3CL1) was a direct downstream target of FTO-mediated m⁶A modification. Furthermore, upregulation of FTO/CX3CL1 and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) in the hypothalamus impaired leptin-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling, resulting in leptin resistance and obesity. Compared to wild-type (WT) mice, FTO deficiency in leptin receptor-expressing neurons of the hypothalamus significantly inhibited the upregulation of CX3CL1 and SOCS3, and partially ameliorating leptin resistance under HFD conditions. Our findings reveal that FTO involved in the hypothalamic leptin resistance and provides novel insight into the function of FTO in the contribution to hypothalamic leptin resistance and obesity.

Keywords: CX3CL1; FTO; Hypothalamus; high-fat diet; leptin resistance.