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TGR5 signalling promotes mitochondrial fission and beige remodelling of white adipose tissue.

Author
Abstract
:

Remodelling of energy storing white fat into energy expending beige fat could be a promising strategy to reduce adiposity. Here, we show that the bile acid-responsive membrane receptor TGR5 mediates beiging of the subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT) under multiple environmental cues including cold exposure and prolonged high-fat diet feeding. Moreover, administration of TGR5-selective bile acid mimetics to thermoneutral housed mice leads to the appearance of beige adipocyte markers and increases mitochondrial content in the scWAT of Tgr5 +/+ mice but not in their Tgr5 -/- littermates. This phenotype is recapitulated in vitro in differentiated adipocytes, in which TGR5 activation increases free fatty acid availability through lipolysis, hence fuelling β-oxidation and thermogenic activity. TGR5 signalling also induces mitochondrial fission through the ERK/DRP1 pathway, further improving mitochondrial respiration. Taken together, these data identify TGR5 as a druggable target to promote beiging with potential applications in the management of metabolic disorders.

Year of Publication
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2018
Journal
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Nature communications
Volume
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9
Issue
:
1
Number of Pages
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245
Date Published
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2018
URL
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02068-0
DOI
:
10.1038/s41467-017-02068-0
Short Title
:
Nat Commun
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