Ablation of TET proteins in adipocytes protects against adiposity and metabolic dysfunction by potentiating energy expenditure

ABSTRACT: Ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins oxidize 5-methylcytosine in DNA to 5- hydroxymethylcytosine and further oxidized derivatives. Here we show that TET proteins are key epigenetic suppressors of adipocyte thermogenesis and energy expenditure in both white and brown adipose tissues in vivo. Tet expression in adipocytes decreases upon cold or adrenergic stimulation but increases following high-fat diet (HFD) consumption. Mice with triple deletion of all three Tet genes in adipocytes have higher energy expenditure due to enhanced fat browning and thermogenesis. They also show significantly enhanced lipolysis because of elevated expression of Adrb3 and key lipases including Atgl and Hsl. Consequently, the knockout mice display improved cold tolerance and are substantially resistant to obesity, inflammation, and associated metabolic complications including insulin resistance. Mechanistically, TET deficiency substantially prevents the HFD-induced transcriptional alterations in adipose tissues. TET proteins recruit histone deacetylases (HDACs) to the key thermogenic gene loci including Adrb3, Ppargc1a, and Ucp1, leading to transcriptional repression through histone deacetylation. Thus, the TET-HDAC axis may be therapeutically targeted to treat obesity and related metabolic diseases.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE178762 | GEO | 2021/11/01

REPOSITORIES: GEO