ASK1 inhibits browning of white adipose tissue in obesity

Fabrizio C. Lucchini, Stephan Wueest, Tenagne D. Challa, Flurin Item, Salvatore Modica, Marcela Borsigova, Yulia Haim, Christian Wolfrum, Assaf Rudich and Daniel Konrad ()
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Fabrizio C. Lucchini: University Children’s Hospital
Stephan Wueest: University Children’s Hospital
Tenagne D. Challa: University Children’s Hospital
Flurin Item: University Children’s Hospital
Salvatore Modica: ETH Zurich
Marcela Borsigova: University Children’s Hospital
Yulia Haim: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Christian Wolfrum: ETH Zurich
Assaf Rudich: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Daniel Konrad: University Children’s Hospital

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Increasing energy expenditure via induction of adipose tissue browning has become an appealing strategy to treat obesity and associated metabolic complications. Herein, we identify adipocyte-expressed apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) as regulator of adipose tissue browning. High fat diet-fed adipocyte-specific ASK1 knockout mice reveal increased UCP1 protein levels in inguinal adipose tissue concomitant with elevated energy expenditure, reduced obesity and ameliorated glucose tolerance compared to control littermates. In addition, ASK1-depletion blunts LPS-mediated downregulation of isoproterenol-induced UCP1 in subcutaneous fat both in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, adipocyte-specific ASK1 overexpression in chow-fed mice attenuates cold-induced UCP1 protein levels in inguinal fat. Mechanistically, ASK1 phosphorylates interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) resulting in reduced Ucp1 expression. Taken together, our studies unravel a role of ASK1 in mediating the inhibitory effect of caloric surplus or LPS-treatment on adipose tissue browning. Adipocyte ASK1 might be a pharmacological target to combat obesity and associated morbidities.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15483-7

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