Summary The metabolic stress hormone FGF21 is highly expressed in exocrine pancreas, where its levels are increased by refeeding and chemically-induced pancreatitis. However, its function in the exocrine pancreas remains unknown. Here, we show that FGF21 stimulates digestive enzyme secretion from pancreatic acinar cells through an autocrine/paracrine mechanism that requires signaling through a tyrosine kinase receptor complex composed of an FGF receptor and β-Klotho. Mice lacking FGF21 accumulate zymogen granules and are susceptible to pancreatic ER stress, an effect that is reversed by administration of recombinant FGF21. Mice carrying an acinar cell-specific deletion of β-Klotho also accumulate zymogen granules, but are refractory to FGF21-stimulated secretion. Like the classical post-prandial secretagogue, cholecystokinin (CCK), FGF21 triggers intracellular calcium release via PLC-IP3R signaling. However, unlike CCK, FGF21 does not induce protein synthesis, thereby preventing protein accumulation. Thus, pancreatic FGF21 is a digestive enzyme secretagogue whose physiologic function is to maintain acinar cell proteostasis.

Elevated plasma TGs increase risk of cardiovascular disease in women. Estrogen treatment raises plasma TGs in women, but molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we explore the role of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) in the regulation of TG metabolism in female mice, which naturally lack CETP. In transgenic CETP females, acute estrogen treatment raised plasma TGs 50%, increased TG production, and increased expression of genes involved in VLDL synthesis, but not in nontransgenic littermate females. In CETP females, estrogen enhanced expression of small heterodimer partner (SHP), a nuclear receptor regulating VLDL production. Deletion of liver SHP prevented increases in TG production and expression of genes involved in VLDL synthesis in CETP mice with estrogen treatment. We also examined whether CETP expression had effects on TG metabolism independent of estrogen treatment. CETP increased liver β-oxidation and reduced liver TG content by 60%. Liver estrogen receptor α (ERα) was required for CETP expression to enhance β-oxidation and reduce liver TG content. Thus, CETP alters at least two networks governing TG metabolism, one involving SHP to increase VLDL-TG production in response to estrogen, and another involving ERα to enhance β-oxidation and lower liver TG content. These findings demonstrate a novel role for CETP in estrogen-mediated increases in TG production and a broader role for CETP in TG metabolism.

Transgenic mouse models have been fundamental in the discovery of factors that regulate β‐cell development, mass, and function. Several groups have recently shown that some of these models display previously uncharacterized phenotypes due to the transgenic system itself. These include impaired islet function and increased β‐cell mass due to the presence of a human growth hormone (hGH) minigene as well as impaired β‐cell proliferation in response to tamoxifen (TM) administration. We aimed to determine how these systems impact β‐cell mass and proliferation during high fat diet (HFD). To this end, we utilized C57Bl6/J male MIP‐CreER mice, which are known to express hGH, or wild‐type (WT) mice treated with vehicle corn oil or TM. In the absence of TM, MIP‐CreER mice fed a chow diet have increased β‐cell mass due to hypertrophy, whereas replication is unchanged. Similarly, after 1 week on HFD, MIP‐CreER mice have increased β‐cell mass compared to WT, and this is due to hypertrophy rather than increased proliferation. To assess the impact of TM on β‐cell proliferation and mass, WT mice were treated with vehicle corn oil or TM and then fed a chow diet or HFD for 3 days. We observed that TM‐treated mice have improved glucose homeostasis on chow diet but impaired β‐cell proliferation in response to 3 days HFD feeding. These results unveil additional complications associated with commonly used pancreas‐specific mouse models.

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Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) confer similar metabolic benefits. Studies report that GLP-1RA induce FGF21. Here, we investigated the mechanisms engaged by the GLP-1R agonist liraglutide to increase FGF21 levels and the metabolic relevance of liraglutide-induced FGF21. We show that liraglutide increases FGF21 levels via neuronal GLP-1R activation. We also demonstrate that lack of liver Fgf21 expression confers partial resistance to liraglutide-induced weight loss. Since FGF21 reduces carbohydrate intake, we tested whether the contribution of FGF21 to liraglutide-induced weight loss is dependent on dietary carbohydrate content. In control and liver Fgf21 knockout (LivFgf21-/-) mice fed calorically matched diets with low- (LC) or high-carbohydrate (HC) content, we found that only HC-fed LivFgf21-/- mice were resistant to liraglutide-induced weight loss. Similarly, liraglutide-induced weight loss was partially impaired in LivFgf21-/- mice fed a high-fat, high-sugar (HFHS) diet. Lastly, we show that loss of neuronal β-klotho expression also diminishes liraglutide-induced weight loss in mice fed a HC or HFHS diet, indicating that FGF21 mediates liraglutide-induced weight loss via neuronal FGF21 action. Our findings support a novel role for a GLP-1R-FGF21 axis in regulating body weight in the presence of high dietary carbohydrate content.

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ObjectiveGlucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor (GLP-1R) agonists are approved for obesity management, yet surprisingly little is known about the signaling mechanisms mediating GLP-1R agonist-induced anorexia and weight loss. We have shown that GLP-1R activation in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) stimulates mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) activity, and this is necessary for the ability of VMH GLP-1R agonism to reduce food intake and body weight. Here, we aim to define the signaling mechanisms by which GLP-1R activation induces mTORC1 activity to regulate body weight. Although mTORC1 is classically activated by Akt, previous studies show that the canonical target of the GLP-1R, Protein Kinase A (PKA), stimulates mTORC1 signaling by phosphorylating the mTOR-regulating protein Raptor at Ser791 following β-adrenergic stimulation. Thus, we tested whether GLP-1R agonists similarly stimulate mTORC1 activity via PKA phosphorylation of Raptor at Ser791 and whether this phosphorylation event is relevant to the weight loss effect of the therapeutic GLP-1R agonist liraglutide.MethodsWe treated Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO-K1) cells stably expressing the human GLP-1R (hGLP1R) with the GLP-1R agonist liraglutide in combination with either of the PKA inhibitors H89 or KT5720 and measured phosphorylation of the mTORC1 signaling target ribosomal protein S6. To test whether PKA phosphorylates Raptor at Ser791 in response to liraglutide, we expressed myc-tagged wild-type (WT) Raptor or a PKA-resistant (Ser791Ala) Raptor mutant in hGLP1R-stably expressing CHO-K1 cells, treated them with vehicle or liraglutide, immunoprecipitated myc-WT or myc-Ser791Ala Raptor, and immunoblotted for phosphorylation of the PKA substrate RRXS*/T* motif, as previously described by Liu et al.1. To assess the physiological relevance of GLP-1R agonist-induced PKA phosphorylation of Raptor, we measured the body weight response to vehicle or liraglutide in WT mice and mice with a targeted knock-in of PKA-resistant Ser791Ala Raptor.ResultsIn CHO-K1 cells stably expressing the hGLP1R, liraglutide significantly increased phosphorylation of S6 and PKA phosphorylation of myc-tagged WT Raptor, both of which were blocked by PKA inhibition. Liraglutide also failed to stimulate phosphorylation of the PKA-targeting motif in cells expressing myc-Ser791Ala Raptor. In addition, knock-in mice expressing Ser791Ala Raptor were partially resistant to GLP-1R agonist-induced weight loss.ConclusionOur results demonstrate that PKA activation downstream of the GLP-1R leads to phosphorylation of Raptor at Ser791, which activates mTORC1 signaling in a non-canonical fashion to facilitate the weight lowering effects of liraglutide.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists enhance glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and act on several regions of the brain to reduce food intake and body weight, making the GLP-1R a major therapeutic target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Surprisingly, little is known about the signaling mechanisms mediating the food intake-lowering effects of GLP-1R agonists. We have previously shown that inhibiting the mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) in the ventromedial hypothalamus blocks anorexia induced by GLP-1R activation in this brain nucleus (1). Therefore, the goal of the present studies is to elucidate the mechanisms by which GLP-1R activation stimulates mTOR signaling. To accomplish this, we treated Chinese Hamster Ovary cells stably expressing the human GLP-1R with the GLP-1R agonist liraglutide (Lira) in combination with inhibitors of various signaling molecules. Since PKA is a canonical target of GLP-1R signaling, and PKA phosphorylates mTOR and its regulating protein Raptor following β-adrenergic stimulation (2), we used the PKA inhibitors H89 and KT 5720 to examine whether PKA is required for the stimulation of mTOR activity by Lira. We expressed myc-tagged mTOR or Raptor in GLP-1R stably expressing CHO cells, treated them with Lira, immunoprecipitated myc-mTOR or myc-Raptor, and immunoblotted for the PKA substrate RRXS/T motif. We found that Lira significantly increased PKA-substrate motif phosphorylation of myc-Raptor but not myc-mTOR, and this was blocked by pre-treatment with H89. Lira also failed to stimulate phosphorylation of a Ser791Ala Raptor mutant that cannot be phosphorylated by PKA (2). To test whether Akt, a well-known regulator of mTOR activity, contributes to the activation of mTOR signaling by Lira, we pre-treated GLP-1R stably expressing CHO cells with either of the Akt inhibitors Akt-i 1/2 and MK-2206 followed by treatment with Lira or forskolin (Fsk), a cAMP inducer and PKA activator. Pre-treatment with either Akt-i 1/2 or MK-2206 blocked mTOR activation by both Lira and Fsk. This suggests that the contribution of Akt to Lira-induced mTOR activation is likely downstream of cAMP production. Taken together, our results suggest a novel two-pronged, PKA-dependent mechanism for the stimulation of mTOR signaling following GLP-1R activation – directly via phosphorylation of Raptor and indirectly via stimulation of Akt. Future studies will assess the respective contributions and temporal dynamics of each of these pathways. Reference: (1) Burmeister et al., Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Aug;313: E651–E662. (2) Liu et al., J Clin Invest. 2016;126(5):1704-1716.