Intermittent prednisone treatment in mice promotes exercise tolerance in obesity through adiponectin

Mattia Quattrocelli*, Michelle Wintzinger, Karen Miz, Manoj Panta, Ashok D. Prabakaran, Grant D. Barish, Navdeep S. Chandel, Elizabeth M. McNally

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

The fat–muscle communication regulates metabolism and involves circulating signals like adiponectin. Modulation of this cross-talk could benefit muscle bioenergetics and exercise tolerance in conditions like obesity. Chronic daily intake of exogenous glucocorticoids produces or exacerbates metabolic stress, often leading to obesity. In stark contrast to the daily intake, we discovered that intermittent pulses of glucocorticoids improve dystrophic muscle metabolism. However, the underlying mechanisms, particularly in the context of obesity, are still largely unknown. Here we report that in mice with diet-induced obesity, intermittent once-weekly prednisone increased total and high-molecular weight adiponectin levels and improved exercise tolerance and energy expenditure. These effects were dependent upon adiponectin, as shown by genetic ablation of the adipokine. Upregulation of Adipoq occurred through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), as this effect was blocked by inducible GR ablation in adipocytes. The treatment increased the muscle metabolic response of adiponectin through the CAMKK2–AMPK cascade. Our study demonstrates that intermittent glucocorticoids produce healthful metabolic remodeling in diet-induced obesity.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere20211906
JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine
Volume219
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2 2022

Funding

Funding was provided by National Institutes of Health grants DK121875 (M. Quattrocelli), HL158531 (M. Quattrocelli), Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) Trustee Award (M. Quattrocelli), CCHMC Heart Institute Translational Grant (M. Quattrocelli), National Institutes of Health grant AG049665 (N.S. Chandel), National Institutes of Health grant AR052646 (E.M. McNally), and National Institutes of Health grant HL061322 (E.M. McNally).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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