Caenorhabditis elegans ucp-4 regulates fat metabolism: suppression of ucp-4 expression induced obese phenotype and caused impairment of insulin like pathway.
Uncoupling proteins, a family of proton carriers located in the inner mitochondrial membrane, have important functions in energy metabolism and free radical generation that are relevant to mitochondrial function. Five family members have been identified, UCP1-5, that have distinct tissue distributions, and differences and similarities in physiological function. Uncoupling protein 4 (UCP4) is highly expressed and has a unique function in brain. UCP4 appears to be involved with metabolism in neurons and adipocytes, but conclusions on this protein have been controversial. Here, we used Caenorhabditis elegans to explore the functions of ucp-4, particularly in fat metabolism. Our results showed that UCP4 knockdown induced an obese phenotype and impaired the insulin-like pathway, possibly via oxidative stress in C. elegans. This highlights the importance of studying the role of ucp-4 in fat metabolism.
Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210004, PR China.
Chenbo
C
Ji
Weiran
W
Guo
Min
M
Zhang
Xiaowei
X
Lu
Yuhui
Y
Ni
Xirong
X
Guo
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000071245:Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D007328:Insulin; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D000071245:Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins; C507109:UCP-4 protein, C elegans