Cell Reports (Jan 2016)

p75 Neurotrophin Receptor Regulates Energy Balance in Obesity

  • Bernat Baeza-Raja,
  • Benjamin D. Sachs,
  • Pingping Li,
  • Frank Christian,
  • Eirini Vagena,
  • Dimitrios Davalos,
  • Natacha Le Moan,
  • Jae Kyu Ryu,
  • Shoana L. Sikorski,
  • Justin P. Chan,
  • Miriam Scadeng,
  • Susan S. Taylor,
  • Miles D. Houslay,
  • George S. Baillie,
  • Alan R. Saltiel,
  • Jerrold M. Olefsky,
  • Katerina Akassoglou

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2015.12.028
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 2
pp. 255 – 268

Abstract

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Obesity and metabolic syndrome reflect the dysregulation of molecular pathways that control energy homeostasis. Here, we show that the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) controls energy expenditure in obese mice on a high-fat diet (HFD). Despite no changes in food intake, p75NTR-null mice were protected from HFD-induced obesity and remained lean as a result of increased energy expenditure without developing insulin resistance or liver steatosis. p75NTR directly interacts with the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKA) and regulates cAMP signaling in adipocytes, leading to decreased lipolysis and thermogenesis. Adipocyte-specific depletion of p75NTR or transplantation of p75NTR-null white adipose tissue (WAT) into wild-type mice fed a HFD protected against weight gain and insulin resistance. Our results reveal that signaling from p75NTR to cAMP/PKA regulates energy balance and suggest that non-CNS neurotrophin receptor signaling could be a target for treating obesity and the metabolic syndrome.