Figure 4

Adipose-VEGF is required for IF-mediated metabolic benefits. (A) Body weight measurements of aP2-Cre;Vegfa^flox/flox mice (VEGF^AdKO) subjected to AL and IF under HFD feeding (VEGF^AdKO-HFD, AL/IF: n = 5/6). (B) Tissue weight of IWAT, PWAT, and BAT in VEGF^AdKO-HFD-AL and -IF mice. (C) H&E-stained sections of IWAT, PWAT, and BAT show no noticeable differences between VEGF^AdKO-HFD-AL and -IF mice. (D) Lep mRNA expression of PWAT in VEGF^AdKO-HFD mice. (E) Plasma leptin levels. (F) GTT in VEGF^AdKO-HFD mice. (G) HOMA-IR in VEGF^AdKO-HFD mice. (H) Gene expression analysis revealed that IF increased sympathetic activation (Adrb3), but did not affect brown/beige adipocyte maker expression (i.e., Ucp1) in PWAT of VEGF^AdKO mice. (I) No changes in Ucp1 expression in BAT of VEGF^AdKO mice upon IF. Data are mean ± SEM; two-tailed unpaired Student's t-test; ^*P < 0.05 vs VEGF^AdKO-HFD-AL. Lep, leptin.