Fig. 1: Cysteine deficiency drives rapid weight loss.
From: Unravelling cysteine-deficiency-associated rapid weight loss
a, A simplified cartoon demonstrating the pathways for Cys synthesis (blue) and consumption (reversible, green; and irreversible, brown). CSE deletion is marked by the red cross. The GSH synthesis inhibitor BSO is shown in purple. VNN, vanin/pantetheinase; GT, glutamyl transferase; GCS, glutamate–cysteine ligase. b, The average percentage of weight loss relative to the starting weight after removal of each EAA and cysteine in male Cse+/− (Het) and Cse−/− (KO) mice for 1 week. n = 5 (Cse−/− control and no-Cys) and n = 4 (other groups). c, Daily weight curves of male Cse+/− and Cse−/− mice fed control (Ctrl) or no-Cys diets, house at 22 °C. n = 4 per group. d, Daily weight curves of Cse-KO mice deprived of isoleucine, valine or cysteine at 30 °C. n = 4 per group. e, Daily food consumption of Cse+/− or Cse−/− mice on control or no-Cys diets. n = 3 per group. f, Body-weight curves of CR (2.1 g per day) male Cse+/− and Cse−/− mice on the control 5CC7 and no-Cys diets. n = 4 per group. g, The average percentage weight loss unaccounted for by reduced food consumption (including data for Iso and Val and for Trp and Phe)14,18. h, The weight of male C57BL/6 (B6) mice on CR with no-Met no-Trp compared to no-Met no-Cys. n = 4 per group. i, Weight curves of male Cse+/− or Cse−/− mice over cycles of no-Cys diet versus standard chow 5053. n = 4 per group. Statistical analysis was performed using repeated-measures one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA, e). Data are mean ± s.d. ***P < 0.001.
