title: Wnt10b inhibits obesity in ob/ob and agouti mice.
abstract: The Wnt family of secreted signaling molecules has profound effects on diverse developmental processes, including the fate of mesenchymal progenitors. While activation of Wnt signaling blocks adipogenesis, inhibition of endogenous Wnt/beta-catenin signaling by Wnt10b promotes spontaneous preadipocyte differentiation. Transgenic mice with expression of Wnt10b from the FABP4 promoter (FABP4-Wnt10b) have less adipose tissue when maintained on a normal chow diet and are resistant to diet-induced obesity. Here we demonstrate that FABP4-Wnt10b mice largely avert weight gain and metabolic abnormalities associated with genetic obesity. FABP4-Wnt10b mice do not gain significant body weight on the ob/ob background, and at 8 weeks of age, they have an approximately 70% reduction in visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues compared with ob/ob mice. Similarly, on the lethal yellow agouti (A(y)) background, FABP4-Wnt10b mice have 50-70% less adipose tissue weight and circulating leptin at 5 months of age. Wnt10b-Ay mice are more glucose tolerant and insulin sensitive than A(y) controls, perhaps due to reduced expression and circulation of resistin. Reduced expression of inflammatory cytokines may also contribute to improved glucose homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1301 E. Catherine Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0622, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Vernon W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Dolinsky
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gerin
authors.forename: Sona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Christina N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Shian-Huey
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Tyler C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Prestwich
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gress
authors.forename: Charles F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Burant
authors.forename: Vedrana S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Susulic
authors.forename: Ormond A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: MacDougald
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology*; D054366:Agouti Signaling Protein; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020738:Leptin / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D015434:Panniculitis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D054366:Agouti Signaling Protein; D001786:Blood Glucose; C493411:Fabp4 protein, mouse; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D020738:Leptin; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; C102068:Wnt10b protein, mouse