Fig. 2: Acute GDF3 loss of function in epididymal adipose tissue improves metabolic health in mice with diet-induced obesity. | Nature Communications

Fig. 2: Acute GDF3 loss of function in epididymal adipose tissue improves metabolic health in mice with diet-induced obesity.

From: Acute regulation of murine adipose tissue lipolysis and insulin resistance by the TGFβ superfamily protein GDF3

Fig. 2

A Graphical representation of adult male Gdf3fl/fl HFD fed mice administered AAV-eGFP (Gdf3fl/fl) or AAV-Cre (Gdf3AKO) into eWAT. Created in BioRender. Banks, A. (2025) https://BioRender.com/to5r0d7. B RT-qPCR analysis of Gdf3 in eWAT, 6 weeks post AAV administration. C Left: GTT, 2 weeks post AAV administration (glucose dose: 1 g/kg BW, IP). Right: Area under the curve (AUC) for GTT.D) Body weights during GTT in (C). B–D n = 8 Gdf3fl/fl, 9 Gdf3AKO. E–J Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) of HFD fed Gdf3fl/fl, Gdf3AKO male mice. E Left: GTT-CGM, 4 weeks post AAV injections, (glucose dose: 1 g/kg BW, IP). Right: AUC of GTT-CGM, (n = 3). F Body weights during GTT-CGM (n = 3). G Fasting plasma insulin (n = 8 Gdf3fl/fl, 9 Gdf3AKO). H CGM in ad libitum chow fed WT mice (n = 8), HFD fed Gdf3fl/fl and Gdf3AKO mice (n = 3). I Mean Amplitude of Glycemic Excursion (MAGE), representing glycemic variability from data in (H) (n = 8 WT, 3 Gdf3fl/fl and 3 Gdf3AKO). J Histograms representing relative frequency of glycemia measurements over 24 h in a single ad libitum fed Gdf3fl/fl or Gdf3AKO mouse. K In vivo plasma NEFA levels, baseline and stimulated with isoproterenol for 15 min (n = 8 Gdf3fl/fl, 9 Gdf3AKO). L Respiratory exchange ratio (RER), 2 weeks post AAV injections during cold exposure(n = 11 Gdf3fl/fl, 13 Gdf3AKO). M Box plots of RER at 4 °C of Gdf3fl/fl and Gdf3AKO from (L) averaged over light and dark photoperiods (n = 11 Gdf3fl/fl, 13 Gdf3AKO). B–G, K, L Data are presented as mean values +/− SEM, ns = not significant. I, M Box plots presenting the median as the center, 25% and 75% percentiles as box limits and whiskers extending to the largest and smallest values within the 1.5 × interquartile range of the box limits. Statistical comparisons were made using unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test (B–G), or one way ANOVA (I) or unpaired two-tailed Welch’s unequal variances t-test (M) or two way ANOVA with Sidak’s multiple comparisons test (K). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.

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