Finan, B. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2022

GIP receptor agonism improves dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis independently of body weight in obese mice

Agonism at the receptors for the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIPR) is a key component of the novel unimolecular co-agonists which are among the most promising drugs in clinical development for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. The therapeutic effect of chronic GIPR agonism to treat dyslipidemia, and thus to reduce the cardiovascular disease risk, has not been explored yet. Herein we found that treatment with a long-acting acylated GIP analog (Acyl-GIP) reduced dyslipidemia and atherogenesis in male LDL receptor knockout mice. Acyl-GIP administration resulted in smaller adipocytes within the inguinal fat depot and RNAseq analysis of the latter revealed that Acyl-GIP may improve dyslipidemia by directly modulating lipid metabolism in this fat depot. This study identified an unanticipated efficacy of chronic GIPR agonist administration to improve dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2020

Pharmacological but not physiological GDF15 suppresses feeding and the motivation to exercise

Growing evidence supports that pharmacological application of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) suppresses appetite but also promotes sickness-like behaviors in rodents via GDNF family receptor -like (GFRAL)-dependent mechanisms1,2. Conversely, the endogenous regulation and secretion of GDF15 and its physiological effects on energy homeostasis and behavior remain elusive. Here we show, in four independent studies that prolonged, moderate- to high-intensity endurance exercise substantially increases circulating GDF15, in a time-dependent and reversible fashion, to peak levels otherwise only observed in pathophysiological conditions. This exercise-induced increase can be recapitulated in mice following forced treadmill running and is accompanied by increased Gdf15 expression in the liver, skeletal muscle, and heart muscle. Compared to other metabolic stressors, like fasting, acute high-fat diet feeding, severe caloric excess and temperature changes, exercise has a greater impact on circulating GDF15 levels. However, whereas pharmacological GDF15 inhibits appetite and suppresses wheel running activity via GFRAL, in response to exercise, the physiological induction of GDF15 does not. In summary, exercise-induced circulating GDF15 correlates with the duration of endurance exercise. However, higher GDF15 levels after exercise are not sufficient to evoke canonical pharmacological GDF15 effects on appetite or responsible for exercise aversion/fatigue. Thus, the physiological effects of GDF15 as an exerkine remain elusive.

physiology↗