CTRP9 transgenic mice are protected from diet-induced obesity and metabolic dysfunction

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

CTRP9 is a secreted multimeric protein of the C1q family and the closest paralog of the insulin-sensitizing adipokine, adiponectin. The metabolic function of this adipose tissue-derived plasma protein remains largely unknown. Here, we show that the circulating levels of CTRP9 are downregulated in diet-induced obese mice and upregulated upon refeeding. Overexpressing CTRP9 resulted in lean mice that dramatically resisted weight gain induced by a high-fat diet, largely through decreased food intake and increased basal metabolism. Enhanced fat oxidation in CTRP9 transgenic mice resulted from increases in skeletal muscle mitochondrial content, expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation (LCAD and MCAD), and chronic AMPK activation. Hepatic and skeletal muscle triglyceride levels were substantially decreased in transgenic mice. Consequently, CTRP9 transgenic mice had a greatly improved metabolic profile with markedly reduced fasting insulin and glucose levels. The high-fat diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis observed in wild-type mice were prevented in transgenic mice. Consistent with the in vivo data, recombinant protein significantly enhanced fat oxidation in L6 myotubes via AMPK activation and reduced lipid accumulation in H4IIE hepatocytes. Collectively, these data establish CTRP9 as a novel metabolic regulator and a new component of the me

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

Browse all related research

Filter the research library by this study's title keywords, author, or publication year.