title: Selective inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α ameliorates adipose tissue dysfunction.
abstract: Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) induction in adipocytes is a critical component of the "fibrotic response," directly linked to metabolic dysfunction in adipose tissues under hypoxic conditions. We reasoned that inhibition of HIF1α may ameliorate the negative aspects of the obesity-associated fat pad expansion. We used the selective HIF1α inhibitor PX-478, whose effectiveness has previously been established in tumor models. We demonstrate that PX-478 treatment effectively suppresses the high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced HIF1α activation in adipose tissue. HIF1α inhibition causes a reduction of weight gain in mice on an HFD but not on a chow diet. Treatment increases energy expenditure and prompts resistance to HFD-mediated deterioration of metabolic parameters. Moreover, PX-478-treated mice have reduced fibrosis and fewer inflammatory infiltrates in their adipose tissues. We confirm the metabolic effects obtained with PX-478 treatment using an adipose tissue-specific, doxycycline-inducible dominant negative HIF1α mutant (dn-HIF1α). Consistent with the pharmacological results, genetic inhibition of endogenous HIF1α activity prompts similar metabolic improvements in HFD-fed mice. Collectively, our results demonstrate that HIF1α inhibition in the adipocyte leads to significant metabolic improvements, suggesting that selective HIF1α inhibition in adipose tissue may be an effective therapeutic avenue in the context of metabolic dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Touchstone Diabetes Center, Departments of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Halberg
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Ulysses J
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Magalang
authors.forename: Philipp E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Scherer
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009150:Mustard Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009154:Mutation; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010666:Phenylpropionates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: C492908:2-amino-3-(4'-N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)amino)phenylpropionic acid N-oxide; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D009150:Mustard Compounds; D010666:Phenylpropionates; D004077:Digoxin; D010100:Oxygen