Targeting IGF1 to Alleviate Obesity Through Regulating Energy Expenditure and Fat Deposition

Overview

Journal Sci China Life Sci

Date 2025 Jan 22

PMID 39843847

Authors

Ping Rong

Yinqiu Mu

Meiqin Wang

Liang Chen

Fangtong Liu

Yuxin Jin

Weikuan Feng

Kun Zhou

Hui Liang

Hong-Yu Wang

Shuai Chen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) is a regulator of both cellular hypertrophy and lipogenesis, which are two key processes for pathogenesis of obesity. However, the in vivo role of IGF1 in the development of obesity remains unclear. Here, we show that IGF1 expression is increased in adipose tissue in obese human patients and animal models. Elevation of IGF1 is associated with increased lipogenic gene expression and decreased energy expenditure. Genetic down-regulation of IGF1 normalizes lipogenic gene expression, restores aberrant energy metabolism and alleviates obese phenotype of a genetic mouse model with IGF1-hypersecretion. Importantly, genetic down-regulation of IGF1 exerts similar effects on development of diet-induced obesity. Furthermore, berberine that is an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator in medicinal herbs inhibits IGF1 secretion, decreases lipogenic gene expression and alleviates diet-induced adiposity. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that hypersecretion of IGF1 is a critical factor for the development of obesity and can be targeted using AMPK activators to alleviate obesity.

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