Pharmacological correction of obesity-induced autophagy arrest using calcium channel blockers

Hwan-Woo Park, Haeli Park, Ian A. Semple, Insook Jang, Seung-Hyun Ro, Myungjin Kim, Victor A. Cazares, Edward L. Stuenkel, Jung-Jae Kim, Jeong Sig Kim and Jun Hee Lee ()
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Hwan-Woo Park: University of Michigan
Haeli Park: University of Michigan
Ian A. Semple: University of Michigan
Insook Jang: University of Michigan
Seung-Hyun Ro: University of Michigan
Myungjin Kim: University of Michigan
Victor A. Cazares: University of Michigan
Edward L. Stuenkel: University of Michigan
Jung-Jae Kim: School of Computer Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Jeong Sig Kim: University of Michigan
Jun Hee Lee: University of Michigan

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Autophagy deregulation during obesity contributes to the pathogenesis of diverse metabolic disorders. However, without understanding the molecular mechanism of obesity interference in autophagy, development of therapeutic strategies for correcting such defects in obese individuals is challenging. Here we show that a chronic increase of the cytosolic calcium concentration in hepatocytes during obesity and lipotoxicity attenuates autophagic flux by preventing the fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes. As a pharmacological approach to restore cytosolic calcium homeostasis in vivo, we administered the clinically approved calcium channel blocker verapamil to obese mice. Such treatment successfully increases autophagosome–lysosome fusion in liver, preventing accumulation of protein inclusions and lipid droplets and suppressing inflammation and insulin resistance. As calcium channel blockers have been safely used in clinics for the treatment of hypertension for more than 30 years, our results suggest they may be a safe therapeutic option for restoring autophagic flux and treating metabolic pathologies in obese patients.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5834

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