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Adipose tissue stores triacylglycerol (TAG) in lipid droplets (LD) and release fatty acids upon lipolysis during energy shortage. We identify ApoL6 as a LD-associated protein mainly found in adipose tissue, specifically in adipocytes. ApoL6 expression is low during fasting but induced upon feeding. ApoL6 knockdown results in smaller LD with lower TAG content in adipocytes, while ApoL6 overexpression causes larger LD with higher TAG content. We show that the ApoL6 affects adipocytes through inhibition of lipolysis. While ApoL6, Perilipin 1 (Plin1), and HSL can form a complex on LD, C-terminal ApoL6 directly interacts with N-terminal Plin1 to prevent Plin1 binding to HSL, to inhibit lipolysis. Thus, ApoL6 ablation decreases white adipose tissue mass, protecting mice from diet-induced obesity, while ApoL6 overexpression in adipose brings obesity and insulin resistance, making ApoL6 a potential future target against obesity and diabetes.

The prolonged, postweaning fast of northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) pups is characterized by a reliance on lipid metabolism and reversible, fasting-induced insulin resistance, providing a unique model to examine the effects of insulin on lipid metabolism. We have previously shown that acute insulin infusion induced a shift in fatty acid metabolism dependent on fasting duration. This study complements the previous study by examining the effects of fasting duration and insulin infusion on circulating levels of oxylipins, bioactive metabolites derived from the oxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Northern elephant seal pups were studied at two postweaning periods (n = 5/period): early fasting (1-2 wk postweaning; 127 ± 1 kg) and late fasting (6-7 wk postweaning; 93 ± 4 kg). Different cohorts of pups were weighed, sedated, and infused with 65 mU/kg of insulin. Plasma was collected prior to infusion (T0) and at 10, 30, 60, and 120 min postinfusion. A profile of ∼80 oxylipins was analyzed by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Nine oxylipins changed between early and late fasting and eight were altered in response to insulin infusion. Fasting decreased prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and increased 14,15-dihydroxyicosatrienoic acid (14,15-DiHETrE), 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), and 4-hydroxy-docosahexaenoic acid (4-HDoHE) (P < 0.03) in T0 samples, whereas insulin infusion resulted in an inverse change in area-under-the-curve (AUC) levels in these same metabolites (P < 0.05). In addition, 12-12-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HpETE) and 12-HETE decreased with fasting and insulin infusion, respectively (P < 0.04). The oxylipins altered during fasting and in response to insulin infusion may contribute to the manifestation of insulin resistance and participate in the metabolic regulation of associated cellular processes.

The postweaning fast of northern elephant seal pups is characterized by a lipid-dependent metabolism and associated with a decrease in plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), insulin, and glucose and increased gluconeogenesis (GNG) and ketogenesis. We have also demonstrated that exogenous GLP-1 infusion increased plasma insulin despite simultaneous increases in cortisol and glucagon, which collectively present contradictory regulatory stimuli of GNG, ketogenesis, and glycolysis. To assess the effects of GLP-1 on metabolism using primary carbon metabolite profiles in late-fasted seal pups, we dose-dependently infused late-fasted seals with low (LDG; 10 pM/kg; n = 3) or high (HDG; 100 pM/kg; n = 4) GLP-1 immediately following a glucose bolus (0.5 g/kg), using glucose without GLP-1 as control (n = 5). Infusions were performed in similarly aged animals 6-8 wk into their postweaning fast. The plasma metabolome was measured from samples collected at five time points just prior to and during the infusions, and network maps constructed to robustly evaluate the effects of GLP-1 on primary carbon metabolism. HDG increased key tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites, and decreased phosphoenolpyruvate and acetoacetate (P < 0.05) suggesting that elevated levels of GLP-1 promote glycolysis and suppress GNG and ketogenesis, which collectively increase glucose clearance. These GLP-1-mediated effects on cellular metabolism help to explain why plasma GLP-1 concentrations decrease naturally in fasting pups as an evolved mechanism to help conserve glucose during the late-fasting period.

Brown adipose tissue is a metabolically beneficial organ capable of dissipating chemical energy into heat, thereby increasing energy expenditure. Here, we identify Dot1l, the only known H3K79 methyltransferase, as an interacting partner of Zc3h10 that transcriptionally activates the Ucp1 promoter and other BAT genes. Through a direct interaction, Dot1l is recruited by Zc3h10 to the promoter regions of thermogenic genes to function as a coactivator by methylating H3K79. We also show that Dot1l is induced during brown fat cell differentiation and by cold exposure and that Dot1l and its H3K79 methyltransferase activity is required for thermogenic gene program. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Dot1l ablation in mice using Ucp1-Cre prevents activation of Ucp1 and other target genes to reduce thermogenic capacity and energy expenditure, promoting adiposity. Hence, Dot1l plays a critical role in the thermogenic program and may present as a future target for obesity therapeutics.

Hepatosteatosis, which is frequently associated with development of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, manifests when triglyceride (TG) input in the liver is greater than TG output, resulting in the excess accumulation of TG. Dysregulation of lipogenesis therefore has the potential to increase lipid accumulation in the liver, leading to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Recently, efforts have been made to examine the epigenetic regulation of metabolism by histone-modifying enzymes that alter chromatin accessibility for activation or repression of transcription. For regulation of lipogenic gene transcription, various known lipogenic transcription factors, such as USF1, ChREBP, and LXR, interact with and recruit specific histone modifiers, directing specificity toward lipogenesis. Alteration or impairment of the functions of these histone modifiers can lead to dysregulation of lipogenesis and thus hepatosteatosis leading to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is highly metabolically active tissue that dissipates energy via UCP1 as heat, and BAT mass is correlated negatively with obesity. The presence of BAT/BAT-like tissue in humans renders BAT as an attractive target against obesity and insulin resistance. Here, we identify Aifm2, a NADH oxidoreductase domain containing flavoprotein, as a lipid droplet (LD)-associated protein highly enriched in BAT. Aifm2 is induced by cold as well as by diet. Upon cold or β-adrenergic stimulation, Aifm2 associates with the outer side of the mitochondrial inner membrane. As a unique BAT-specific first mammalian NDE (external NADH dehydrogenase)-like enzyme, Aifm2 oxidizes NADH to maintain high cytosolic NAD levels in supporting robust glycolysis and to transfer electrons to the electron transport chain (ETC) for fueling thermogenesis. Aifm2 in BAT and subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) promotes oxygen consumption, uncoupled respiration, and heat production during cold- and diet-induced thermogenesis. Aifm2, thus, can ameliorate diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance.

Fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis increases greatly in response to feeding and insulin. This lipogenic induction involves coordinate transcriptional activation of various enzymes in lipogenic pathway, including fatty acid synthase and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase. Here, we show that JMJD1C is a specific histone demethylase for lipogenic gene transcription in liver. In response to feeding/insulin, JMJD1C is phosphorylated at T505 by mTOR complex to allow direct interaction with USF-1 for recruitment to lipogenic promoter regions. Thus, by demethylating H3K9me2, JMJD1C alters chromatin accessibility to allow transcription. Consequently, JMJD1C promotes lipogenesis in vivo to increase hepatic and plasma triglyceride levels, showing its role in metabolic adaption for activation of the lipogenic program in response to feeding/insulin, and its contribution to development of hepatosteatosis resulting in insulin resistance.

Brown adipose tissue harbors UCP1 to dissipate chemical energy as heat. However, the transcriptional network that governs the thermogenic gene program is incompletely understood. Zc3h10, a CCCH-type zinc finger protein, has recently been reported to bind RNA. However, we report here that Zc3h10 functions as a transcription factor to activate UCP1 not through the enhancer region, but by binding to a far upstream region of the UCP1 promoter. Upon sympathetic stimulation, Zc3h10 is phosphorylated at S126 by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) to increase binding to the distal region of the UCP1 promoter. Zc3h10, as well as mutant Zc3h10, which cannot bind RNA, enhances thermogenic capacity and energy expenditure, protecting mice from diet-induced obesity. Conversely, Zc3h10 ablation in UCP1+ cells in mice impairs thermogenic capacity and lowers oxygen consumption, leading to weight gain. Hence, Zc3h10 plays a critical role in the thermogenic gene program and may present future targets for obesity therapeutics.

De novo lipogenesis is precisely regulated by nutritional and hormonal conditions. The genes encoding various enzymes involved in this process, such as fatty acid synthase (FASN), are transcriptionally activated in response to insulin. We showed that USF1, a key transcription factor for FASN activation, directly interacted with the Mediator subunit MED17 at the FASN promoter. This interaction recruited Mediator, which can bring POL II and other general transcription machinery to the complex. Moreover, we showed that MED17 was phosphorylated at Ser53 by casein kinase 2 (CK2) in the livers of fed mice or insulin-stimulated hepatocytes, but not in the livers of fasted mice or untreated hepatocytes. Furthermore, activation of the FASN promoter in response to insulin required this CK2-mediated phosphorylation event, which occurred only in the absence of p38 MAPK-mediated phosphorylation at Thr570 Overexpression of a nonphosphorylatable S53A MED17 mutant or knockdown of MED17, as well as CK2 knockdown or inhibition, impaired hepatic de novo fatty acid synthesis and decreased triglyceride content in mice. These results demonstrate that CK2-mediated phosphorylation of Ser53 in MED17 is required for the transcriptional activation of lipogenic genes in response to insulin.

The role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in promoting fatty acid (FA) oxidation in various tissues, such as liver and muscle, has been well understood. However, the role of AMPK in lipolysis and FA metabolism in adipose tissue has been controversial. To investigate the role of AMPK in the regulation of adipose lipolysis in vivo, we generated mice with adipose-tissue-specific knockout of both the α1 and α2 catalytic subunits of AMPK (AMPK-ASKO mice) by using aP2-Cre and adiponectin-Cre. Both models of AMPK-ASKO ablation show no changes in desnutrin/ATGL levels but have defective phosphorylation of desnutrin/ATGL at S406 to decrease its triacylglycerol (TAG) hydrolase activity, lowering basal lipolysis in adipose tissue. These mice also show defective phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) at S565, with higher phosphorylation at protein kinase A sites S563 and S660, increasing its hydrolase activity and isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis. With higher overall adipose lipolysis, both models of AMPK-ASKO mice are lean, having smaller adipocytes with lower TAG and higher intracellular free-FA levels. Moreover, FAs from higher lipolysis activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta to induce FA oxidative genes and increase FA oxidation and energy expenditure. Overall, for the first time, we provide in vivo evidence of the role of AMPK in the phosphorylation and regulation of desnutrin/ATGL and HSL and thus adipose lipolysis.

Fatty acid and fat synthesis in the liver is a highly regulated metabolic pathway that is important for very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) production and thus energy distribution to other tissues. Having common features at their promoter regions, lipogenic genes are coordinately regulated at the transcriptional level. Transcription factors, such as upstream stimulatory factors (USFs), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1C (SREBP1C), liver X receptors (LXRs) and carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein (ChREBP) have crucial roles in this process. Recently, insights have been gained into the signalling pathways that regulate these transcription factors. After feeding, high blood glucose and insulin levels activate lipogenic genes through several pathways, including the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) and AKT-mTOR pathways. These pathways control the post-translational modifications of transcription factors and co-regulators, such as phosphorylation, acetylation or ubiquitylation, that affect their function, stability and/or localization. Dysregulation of lipogenesis can contribute to hepatosteatosis, which is associated with obesity and insulin resistance.

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-21 is secreted from the liver, pancreas, and adipose in response to prolonged fasting/starvation to facilitate lipid and glucose metabolism. Northern elephant seals naturally fast for several months, maintaining a relatively elevated metabolic rate to satisfy their energetic requirements. Thus, to better understand the impact of prolonged food deprivation on FGF21-associated changes, we analyzed the expression of FGF21, FGF receptor-1 (FGFR1), β-klotho (KLB; a co-activator of FGFR) in adipose, and plasma FGF21, glucose and 3-hydroxybutyrate in fasted elephant seal pups. Expression of FGFR1 and KLB mRNA decreased 98% and 43%, respectively, with fasting duration. While the 80% decrease in mean adipose FGF21 mRNA expression with fasting did not reach statistical significance, it paralleled the 39% decrease in plasma FGF21 concentrations suggesting that FGF21 is suppressed with fasting in elephant seals. Data demonstrate an atypical response of FGF21 to prolonged fasting in a mammal suggesting that FGF21-mediated mechanisms have evolved differentially in elephant seals. Furthermore, the typical fasting-induced, FGF21-mediated actions such as the inhibition of lipolysis in adipose may not be required in elephant seals as part of a naturally adapted mechanism to support their unique metabolic demands during prolonged fasting.