Postnatal PPARδ Activation and Myostatin Inhibition Exert Distinct yet Complimentary Effects on the Metabolic Profile of Obese Insulin-Resistant Mice

BACKGROUND: Interventions for T2DM have in part aimed to mimic exercise. Here, we have compared the independent and combined effects of a PPARdelta agonist and endurance training mimetic (GW501516) and a myostatin antibody and resistance training mimetic (PF-879) on metabolic and performance outcomes in obese insulin resistant mice. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Male ob/ob mice were treated for 6 weeks with vehicle, GW501516, PF-879, or GW501516 in combination with PF-879. The effects of the interventions on body composition, glucose homeostasis, glucose tolerance, energy expenditure, exercise capacity and metabolic gene expression were compared at the end of study. GW501516 attenuated body weight and fat mass accumulation and increased the expression of genes of oxidative metabolism. In contrast, PF-879 increased body weight by driving muscle growth and altered the expression of genes involved in insulin signaling and glucose metabolism. Despite their differences, both interventions alone improved glucose homeostasis. Moreover, GW501516 more effectively improved serum lipids, and PF-879 uniquely increased energy expenditure, exercise capacity and adiponectin levels. When combined the robust effects of GW501516 and/or PF-879 on body weight, adiposity, muscle mass, glycemia, serum lipids, energy expenditure and exercise capacity were highly conserved. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The data, for the first time, demonstrate postnatal inhibition of myostatin not only promotes gains in muscle mass similar to resistance training,but improves metabolic homeostasis. In several instances, these effects were either distinct from or complimentary to those of GW501516. The data further suggest that strategies to increase muscle mass, and not necessarily oxidative capacity, may effectively counter insulin resistance and T2DM

Evaluation of a Mathematical Model of Rat Body Weight Regulation in Application to Caloric Restriction and Drug Treatment Studies.

The purpose of this work is to develop a mathematical model of energy balance and body weight regulation that can predict species-specific response to common pre-clinical interventions. To this end, we evaluate the ability of a previously published mathematical model of mouse metabolism to describe changes in body weight and body composition in rats in response to two short-term interventions. First, we adapt the model to describe body weight and composition changes in Sprague-Dawley rats by fitting to data previously collected from a 26-day caloric restriction study. The calibrated model is subsequently used to describe changes in rat body weight and composition in a 23-day cannabinoid receptor 1 antagonist (CB1Ra) study. While the model describes body weight data well, it fails to replicate body composition changes with CB1Ra treatment. Evaluation of a key model assumption about deposition of fat and fat-free masses shows a limitation of the model in short-term studies due to the constraint placed on the relative change in body composition components. We demonstrate that the model can be modified to overcome this limitation, and propose additional measurements to further test the proposed model predictions. These findings illustrate how mathematical models can be used to support drug discovery and development by identifying key knowledge gaps and aiding in the design of additional experiments to further our understanding of disease-relevant and species-specific physiology

Supraphysiologic Administration of GDF11 Induces Cachexia in Part by Upregulating GDF15

Summary: The age-related effects of GDF11 have been a subject of controversy. Here, we find that elevated GDF11 causes signs of cachexia in mice: reduced food intake, body weight, and muscle mass. GDF11 also elicited a significant elevation in plasma Activin A, previously shown to contribute to the loss of skeletal muscle. The effects of GDF11 on skeletal muscle could be reversed by administration of antibodies to the Activin type II receptors. In addition to the effects on muscle, GDF11 increased plasma GDF15, an anorectic agent. The anorexia, but not the muscle loss, could be reversed with a GDF15-neutralizing antibody. GDF15 upregulation is due to GDF11-induced recruitment of SMAD2/3 to the GDF15 promoter. Inhibition of GDF15 can restore appetite but cannot restore the GDF11-induced loss of muscle mass, which requires blockade of ActRII signaling. These findings are relevant for treatment of cachexia

Body composition data for CR and CB1Ra treatment studies.

<p>Different color curves show changes in body composition in response to different levels of CR (A) and CB1Ra (B). Changes in FFM and FM in (A) and (B) do not appear along a single pre-defined FFM-FM curve (dashed line) defined by the energy partition function [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0155674#pone.0155674.ref007" target="_blank">7</a>, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0155674#pone.0155674.ref008" target="_blank">8</a>, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0155674#pone.0155674.ref021" target="_blank">21</a>]. The different shapes correspond to three time points when BC measurements were taken. The colored line segments connecting data points are meant to guide the reader’s eye. Error bars represent SEM (9-10 rats).</p

Model calibration against CB1Ra data.

<p>The calibrated model shows good agreement between model simulations (black) and experimental BW (A). The fitted model trajectories show poor agreement with FFM (B) and FM (C) measurements at the three drug dose levels. Gray region indicates the intervention phase in each study. Error bars represent SEM (9-10 rats).</p

The α-free model fits BC in CR and CB1Ra BC studies.

<p>Simulations (black) of the <i>α</i>-free model show agreement with FFM (red) and FM (yellow) measurements in CR (A) and CB1Ra (B) intervention studies. Gray region indicates treatment phases in the two studies. Error bars represent SEM (9-10 rats).</p