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Tangseefa P, Jin H, Zhang H, Xie M, Ibáñez CF. Human ACVR1C missense variants that correlate with altered body fat distribution produce metabolic alterations of graded severity in knock-in mutant mice. Mol Metab 2024; 81:101890. [PMID: 38307384 PMCID: PMC10863331 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.101890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Genome-wide studies have identified three missense variants in the human gene ACVR1C, encoding the TGF-β superfamily receptor ALK7, that correlate with altered waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (WHR/BMI), a measure of body fat distribution. METHODS To move from correlation to causation and understand the effects of these variants on fat accumulation and adipose tissue function, we introduced each of the variants in the mouse Acvr1c locus and investigated metabolic phenotypes in comparison with a null mutation. RESULTS Mice carrying the I195T variant showed resistance to high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, increased catecholamine-induced adipose tissue lipolysis and impaired ALK7 signaling, phenocopying the null mutants. Mice with the I482V variant displayed an intermediate phenotype, with partial resistance to HFD-induced obesity, reduction in subcutaneous, but not visceral, fat mass, decreased systemic lipolysis and reduced ALK7 signaling. Surprisingly, mice carrying the N150H variant were metabolically indistinguishable from wild type under HFD, although ALK7 signaling was reduced at low ligand concentrations. CONCLUSION Together, these results validate ALK7 as an attractive drug target in human obesity and suggest a lower threshold for ALK7 function in humans compared to mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawanrat Tangseefa
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Zhongguancun Life Science Park, 102206 Beijing, China; Peking University School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, 100871 Beijing, China; PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Jin
- Peking University School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, 100871 Beijing, China; PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Houyu Zhang
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Zhongguancun Life Science Park, 102206 Beijing, China; Peking University School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, 100871 Beijing, China
| | - Meng Xie
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China; Peking University School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, 100871 Beijing, China; Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge 14157, Sweden
| | - Carlos F Ibáñez
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Zhongguancun Life Science Park, 102206 Beijing, China; Peking University School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, 100871 Beijing, China; PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China; Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm 17177, Sweden; Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study, Wallenberg Research Centre at Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
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2
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Okunishi K, Kochi Y, Zhao M, Wang H, Nakagome K, Izumi T. Munc13-4 regulates asthma and obesity in mice by controlling functions of CD11c + antigen-presenting cells. Allergy 2024. [PMID: 38426389 DOI: 10.1111/all.16087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Katsuhide Okunishi
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic System Regulation, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Yuta Kochi
- Genomic Function and Diversity, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Min Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Hao Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Nakagome
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Tetsuro Izumi
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
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Kumar V, Stewart JH. Obesity, bone marrow adiposity, and leukemia: Time to act. Obes Rev 2024; 25:e13674. [PMID: 38092420 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Obesity has taken the face of a pandemic with less direct concern among the general population and scientific community. However, obesity is considered a low-grade systemic inflammation that impacts multiple organs. Chronic inflammation is also associated with different solid and blood cancers. In addition, emerging evidence demonstrates that individuals with obesity are at higher risk of developing blood cancers and have poorer clinical outcomes than individuals in a normal weight range. The bone marrow is critical for hematopoiesis, lymphopoiesis, and myelopoiesis. Therefore, it is vital to understand the mechanisms by which obesity-associated changes in BM adiposity impact leukemia development. BM adipocytes are critical to maintain homeostasis via different means, including immune regulation. However, obesity increases BM adiposity and creates a pro-inflammatory environment to upregulate clonal hematopoiesis and a leukemia-supportive environment. Obesity further alters lymphopoiesis and myelopoiesis via different mechanisms, which dysregulate myeloid and lymphoid immune cell functions mentioned in the text under different sequentially discussed sections. The altered immune cell function during obesity alters hematological malignancies and leukemia susceptibility. Therefore, obesity-induced altered BM adiposity, immune cell generation, and function impact an individual's predisposition and severity of leukemia, which should be considered a critical factor in leukemia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Kumar
- Department of Surgery, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - John H Stewart
- Department of Surgery, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Zheng Y, Lebid A, Chung L, Fu J, Wang X, Otrocol A, Zarif JC, Yu H, Llosa NJ, Pardoll DM. Targeting the activin receptor 1C on CD4+ T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Oncoimmunology 2024; 13:2297503. [PMID: 38235319 PMCID: PMC10793694 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2023.2297503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Activins, members of the TGF-beta superfamily, have been isolated and identified in the endocrine system, but have not been substantially investigated in the context of the immune system and endocrine-unrelated cancers. Here, we demonstrated that tumor-bearing mice had elevated systemic activin levels, which correlated directly with tumor burden. Likewise, cancer patients have elevated plasma activin levels compared to healthy controls. We observed that both tumor and immune cells could be sources of activins. Importantly, our in vitro studies suggest that activins promote differentiation of naïve CD4+ cells into Foxp3-expressing induced regulatory T cells (Tregs), particularly when TGF-beta was limited in the culture medium. Database and qRT-PCR analysis of sorted major immune cell subsets in mice revealed that activin receptor 1c (ActRIC) was uniquely expressed on Tregs and that both ActRIC and ActRIIB (activin receptor 2b) were highly upregulated during iTreg differentiation. ActRIC-deficient naïve CD4+ cells were found to be defective in iTreg generation both in vitro and in vivo. Treg suppression assays were also performed, and ActRIC deficiency did not change the function or stability of iTregs. Mice lacking ActRIC or mice treated with monoclonal anti-ActRIC antibody were more resistant to tumor progression than wild-type controls. This phenotype was correlated with reduced expression of Foxp3 in CD4+ cells in the tumor microenvironment. In light of the information presented above, blocking activin-ActRIC signaling is a promising and disease-specific strategy to impede the accumulation of immunosuppressive iTregs in cancer. Therefore, it is a potential candidate for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zheng
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andriana Lebid
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Liam Chung
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Juan Fu
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiaoxu Wang
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrea Otrocol
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jelani C. Zarif
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hong Yu
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nicolas J. Llosa
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Drew M. Pardoll
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Griffin JD, Buxton JM, Culver JA, Barnes R, Jordan EA, White AR, Flaherty SE, Bernardo B, Ross T, Bence KK, Birnbaum MJ. Hepatic Activin E mediates liver-adipose inter-organ communication, suppressing adipose lipolysis in response to elevated serum fatty acids. Mol Metab 2023; 78:101830. [PMID: 38787338 PMCID: PMC10656223 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The liver is a central regulator of energy metabolism exerting its influence both through intrinsic processing of substrates such as glucose and fatty acid as well as by secreting endocrine factors, known as hepatokines, which influence metabolism in peripheral tissues. Human genome wide association studies indicate that a predicted loss-of-function variant in the Inhibin βE gene (INHBE), encoding the putative hepatokine Activin E, is associated with reduced abdominal fat mass and cardiometabolic disease risk. However, the regulation of hepatic Activin E and the influence of Activin E on adiposity and metabolic disease are not well understood. Here, we examine the relationship between hepatic Activin E and adipose metabolism, testing the hypothesis that Activin E functions as part of a liver-adipose, inter-organ feedback loop to suppress adipose tissue lipolysis in response to elevated serum fatty acids and hepatic fatty acid exposure. METHODS The relationship between hepatic Activin E and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) released from adipose lipolysis was assessed in vivo using fasted CL 316,243 treated mice and in vitro using Huh7 hepatocytes treated with fatty acids. The influence of Activin E on adipose lipolysis was examined using a combination of Inhbe knockout mice, a mouse model of hepatocyte-specific overexpression of Activin E, and mouse brown adipocytes treated with Activin E enriched media. RESULTS Increasing hepatocyte NEFA exposure in vivo by inducing adipose lipolysis through fasting or CL 316,243 treatment increased hepatic Inhbe expression. Similarly, incubation of Huh7 human hepatocytes with fatty acids increased expression of INHBE. Genetic ablation of Inhbe in mice increased fasting circulating NEFA and hepatic triglyceride accumulation. Treatment of mouse brown adipocytes with Activin E conditioned media and overexpression of Activin E in mice suppressed adipose lipolysis and reduced serum FFA levels, respectively. The suppressive effects of Activin E on lipolysis were lost in CRISPR-mediated ALK7 deficient cells and ALK7 kinase deficient mice. Disruption of the Activin E-ALK7 signaling axis in Inhbe KO mice reduced adiposity upon HFD feeding, but caused hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our data suggest that Activin E functions as part of a liver-adipose feedback loop, such that in response to increased serum free fatty acids and elevated hepatic triglyceride, Activin E is released from hepatocytes and signals in adipose through ALK7 to suppress lipolysis, thereby reducing free fatty acid efflux to the liver and preventing excessive hepatic lipid accumulation. We find that disrupting this Activin E-ALK7 inter-organ communication network by ablation of Inhbe in mice increases lipolysis and reduces adiposity, but results in elevated hepatic triglyceride and impaired insulin sensitivity. These results highlight the liver-adipose, Activin E-ALK7 signaling axis as a critical regulator of metabolic homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Griffin
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Joanne M Buxton
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Culver
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Robert Barnes
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Emily A Jordan
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Alexis R White
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Stephen E Flaherty
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Barbara Bernardo
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Trenton Ross
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Kendra K Bence
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Morris J Birnbaum
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc.,1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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6
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Vestal KA, Kattamuri C, Koyiloth M, Ongaro L, Howard JA, Deaton A, Ticau S, Dubey A, Bernard DJ, Thompson TB. Activin E is a TGFβ ligand that signals specifically through activin receptor-like kinase 7. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.25.559288. [PMID: 37808681 PMCID: PMC10557571 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.25.559288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Activins are one of the three distinct subclasses within the greater Transforming Growth Factor β (TGFβ) superfamily. First discovered for their critical roles in reproductive biology, activins have since been shown to alter cellular differentiation and proliferation. At present, members of the activin subclass include activin A (ActA), ActB, ActC, ActE, and the more distant members myostatin and GDF11. While the biological roles and signaling mechanisms of most activins class members have been well-studied, the signaling potential of ActE has remained largely unknown. Here, we characterized the signaling capacity of homodimeric ActE. Molecular modeling of the ligand:receptor complexes showed that ActC and ActE shared high similarity in both the type I and type II receptor binding epitopes. ActE signaled specifically through ALK7, utilized the canonical activin type II receptors, ActRIIA and ActRIIB, and was resistant to the extracellular antagonists follistatin and WFIKKN. In mature murine adipocytes, ActE invoked a SMAD2/3 response via ALK7, similar to ActC. Collectively, our results establish ActE as an ALK7 ligand, thereby providing a link between genetic and in vivo studies of ActE as a regulator of adipose tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie A Vestal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Chandramohan Kattamuri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Muhasin Koyiloth
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Luisina Ongaro
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Centre for Research in Reproduction and Development, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - James A Howard
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | | | | | | | - Daniel J Bernard
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Centre for Research in Reproduction and Development, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Thomas B Thompson
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
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Adam RC, Pryce DS, Lee JS, Zhao Y, Mintah IJ, Min S, Halasz G, Mastaitis J, Atwal GS, Aykul S, Idone V, Economides AN, Lotta LA, Murphy AJ, Yancopoulos GD, Sleeman MW, Gusarova V. Activin E-ACVR1C cross talk controls energy storage via suppression of adipose lipolysis in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2309967120. [PMID: 37523551 PMCID: PMC10410708 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309967120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Body fat distribution is a heritable risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic disease. In humans, rare Inhibin beta E (INHBE, activin E) loss-of-function variants are associated with a lower waist-to-hip ratio and protection from type 2 diabetes. Hepatic fatty acid sensing promotes INHBE expression during fasting and in obese individuals, yet it is unclear how the hepatokine activin E governs body shape and energy metabolism. Here, we uncover activin E as a regulator of adipose energy storage. By suppressing β-agonist-induced lipolysis, activin E promotes fat accumulation and adipocyte hypertrophy and contributes to adipose dysfunction in mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that activin E elicits its effect on adipose tissue through ACVR1C, activating SMAD2/3 signaling and suppressing PPARG target genes. Conversely, loss of activin E or ACVR1C in mice increases fat utilization, lowers adiposity, and drives PPARG-regulated gene signatures indicative of healthy adipose function. Our studies identify activin E-ACVR1C as a metabolic rheostat promoting liver-adipose cross talk to restrain excessive fat breakdown and preserve fat mass during prolonged fasting, a mechanism that is maladaptive in obese individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yuanqi Zhao
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY10591
| | | | - Soo Min
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY10591
| | | | | | | | - Senem Aykul
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY10591
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