title: GQ-16, a TZD-Derived Partial PPARγ Agonist, Induces the Expression of Thermogenesis-Related Genes in Brown Fat and Visceral White Fat and Decreases Visceral Adiposity in Obese and Hyperglycemic Mice.
abstract: Beige adipocytes comprise a unique thermogenic cell type in the white adipose tissue (WAT) of rodents and humans, and play a critical role in energy homeostasis. In this scenario, recruitment of beige cells has been an important focus of interest for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to treat obesity. PPARγ activation by full agonists (thiazolidinediones, TZDs) drives the appearance of beige cells, a process so-called browning of WAT. However, this does not translate into increased energy expenditure, and TZDs are associated with weight gain. Partial PPARγ agonists, on the other hand, do not induce weight gain, but have not been shown to drive WAT browning. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of GQ-16 on BAT and on browning of WAT in obese mice.
  
  
  
  Male Swiss mice with obesity and hyperglycemia induced by high fat diet were treated with vehicle, rosiglitazone (4 mg/kg/d) or the TZD-derived partial PPARγ agonist GQ-16 (40 mg/kg/d) for 14 days. Fasting blood glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lipid profile were measured. WAT and brown adipose tissue (BAT) depots were excised for determination of adiposity, relative expression of Ucp-1, Cidea, Prdm16, Cd40 and Tmem26 by RT-qPCR, histological analysis, and UCP-1 protein expression analysis by immunohistochemistry. Liver samples were also removed for histological analysis and determination of hepatic triglyceride content.
  
  
  
  GQ-16 treatment reduced high fat diet-induced weight gain in mice despite increasing energy intake. This was accompanied by reduced epididymal fat mass, reduced liver triglyceride content, morphological signs of increased BAT activity, increased expression of thermogenesis-related genes in interscapular BAT and epididymal WAT, and increased UCP-1 protein expression in interscapular BAT and in epididymal and inguinal WAT.
  
  
  
  This study suggests for the first time that a partial PPARγ agonist may increase BAT activity and induce the expression of thermogenesis-related genes in visceral WAT.
  
  
  
  These findings suggest that PPARγ activity might be modulated by partial agonists to induce WAT browning and treat obesity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michella S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caroline L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Royer
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Janaina B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda C B
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Christ
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sidney A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sonia N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Inovação Terapêutica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria C A
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Inovação Terapêutica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marina G R
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pitta
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Inovação Terapêutica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ivan R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Pitta
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco A R
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: Angélica A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Amato
mesh_terms: D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications*; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000819:agonists; D022722:Thermogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C576055:5-(5-bromo-2-methoxybenzylidene)-3-(4-methyl-benzyl)thiazolidine-2,4-dione; D001786:Blood Glucose; D047495:PPAR gamma; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D014280:Triglycerides; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1