IRX3 Promotes the Browning of White Adipocytes and Its Rare Variants are Associated with Human Obesity Risk

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)

Background IRX3 was recently reported as the effector of the FTO variants. We aimed to test IRX3's roles in the browning program and to evaluate the association between the genetic variants in IRX3 and human obesity. Methods IRX3 expression was examined in beige adipocytes in human and mouse models, and further validated in induced beige adipocytes. The browning capacity of primary preadipocytes was assessed with IRX3 knockdown. Luciferase reporter analysis and ChIP assay were applied to investigate IRX3's effects on UCP1 transcriptional activity. Moreover, genetic analysis of IRX3 was performed in 861 young obese subjects and 916 controls. Results IRX3 expression was induced in the browning process and was positively correlated with the browning markers. IRX3 knockdown remarkably inhibited UCP1 expression in induced mouse and human beige adipocytes, and also repressed the uncoupled oxygen consumption rate. Further, IRX3 directly bound to UCP1 promoter and increased its transcriptional activity. Moreover, 17 rare heterozygous missense/frameshift IRX3 variants were identified, with a significant enrichment in obese subjects (P=0.038, OR=2.27; 95% CI, 1.02-5.05). Conclusions IRX3 deficiency repressed the browning program of white adipocytes partially by regulating UCP1 transcriptional activity. Rare variants of IRX3 were associated with human obesity.

Evidence level

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

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