240-LB: Unrestrained Sympathetic Signaling Is a Key Driver of Obesity-Induced Insulin Resistance

Abstract

Obesity is the major driver of type 2 diabetes. The mechanisms that account for overnutrition induced insulin resistance are yet to be delineated as impaired cellular insulin signaling may or may not account for the impaired insulin action. We find that overnutrition rapidly impairs insulin action and increase plasma norepinephrine, suggesting heightened activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), possibly due to brain insulin resistance as earlier studies from our group suggested. Here, we hypothesize that unrestrained SNS activity (SNA) is a key driver of obesity induced insulin resistance. To test this hypothesis, we examined a mouse model of inducible and peripherally restricted tyrosine hydroxylase (th) gene deletion (THΔper) that have profoundly lower catecholamine levels in peripheral tissues is protected from high fat diet (HFD) induced insulin resistance. Despite similar food intake, obesity and cellular insulin signaling in liver and adipose tissue, THΔper mice were protected from both short-term and long-term HFD feeding-induced glucose intolerance, increases in plasma catecholamines and hyperglucagonemia. Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp studies revealed that overnutrition induced hepatic insulin resistance was markedly ameliorated in the THΔper mice, even though cellular insulin signaling in liver and adipose tissue was comparable. Moreover, THΔper mice were protected from HFD-induced adipose tissue dysfunction characterized by reduced lipogenic capacity, unrestrained lipolysis and increased low-grade inflammation as well as hepatic steatosis, possibly due to decreased lipolytic flux and hepatic de novo lipogenesis. In addition, fibrosis genes were markedly reduced in the liver of the THΔper mice, suggesting that reducing SNA can prevent metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. These results demonstrate that unrestrained SNA is a pivotal driver of insulin resistance, hyperglucagonemia and metabolic dysfunction in obesity. Disclosure K. Sakamoto: None. G. Maurizi: None. B. Chen: None. A. Shawkat: None. L. Patlolla: None. A. Tahiri: None. A. Butera: None. C. Buettner: None.