The E3 ligase synoviolin controls body weight and mitochondrial biogenesis through negative regulation of PGC-1 beta

• Obesity is a major global public health problem, and understanding its pathogenesis is critical for identifying a cure. In this study, a gene knockout strategy was used in post-neonatal mice to delete synoviolin (Syvn) 1/Hrd1/Der3, an ER-resident E3 ubiquitin ligase with known roles in homeostasis maintenance. Syvn1 deficiency resulted in weight loss and lower accumulation of white adipose tissue in otherwise wild-type animals as well as in genetically obese (ob/ob and db/db) and adipose tissue-specific knockout mice as compared to control animals. SYVN1 interacted with and ubiquitinated the thermogenic coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor coactivator (PGC)-1 beta, and Syvn1 mutants showed upregulation of PGC-1 beta target genes and increase in mitochondrion number, respiration, and basal energy expenditure in adipose tissue relative to control animals. Moreover, the selective SYVN1 inhibitor LS-102 abolished the negative regulation of PGC-1 beta by SYVN1 and prevented weight gain in mice. Thus, SYVN1 is a novel post-translational regulator of PGC-1 beta and a potential therapeutic target in obesity treatment.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Biokemi och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

endoplasmic reticulum

mitochondria

obesity

PGC-1 beta

synoviolin

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)