<i>dSec16</i> Acting in Insulin-like Peptide Producing Cells Controls Energy Homeostasis in <i>Drosophila</i>
Ruo-Xin Zhang,
Sha-Sha Li,
An-Qi Li,
Zhi-Ying Liu,
G Gregory Neely,
Qiao-Ping Wang
Affiliations
Ruo-Xin Zhang
Laboratory of Metabolism and Aging, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
Sha-Sha Li
Laboratory of Metabolism and Aging, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
An-Qi Li
Laboratory of Metabolism and Aging, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
Zhi-Ying Liu
Laboratory of Metabolism and Aging, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
G Gregory Neely
The Dr. John and Anne Chong Laboratory for Functional Genomics, Charles Perkins Centre and School of Life & Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Qiao-Ping Wang
Laboratory of Metabolism and Aging, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
Many studies show that genetics play a major contribution to the onset of obesity. Human genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified hundreds of genes that are associated with obesity. However, the majority of them have not been functionally validated. SEC16B has been identified in multiple obesity GWASs but its physiological role in energy homeostasis remains unknown. Here, we use Drosophila to determine the physiological functions of dSec16 in energy metabolism. Our results showed that global RNAi of dSec16 increased food intake and triglyceride (TAG) levels. Furthermore, this TAG increase was observed in flies with a specific RNAi of dSec16 in insulin-like peptide producing cells (IPCs) with an alteration of endocrine peptides. Together, our study demonstrates that dSec16 acting in IPCs controls energy balance and advances the molecular understanding of obesity.
