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Metabolism

GDF15 boosts muscle energy burn

Nature Reviews Endocrinology volume 19, page 499 (2023)Cite this article

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The hormone growth differentiating factor 15 (GDF15) suppresses energy intake and induces weight loss in rodents and non-human primates. In mice, the mechanism involves appetite suppression, through GDF15 signalling via its receptor GFRAL in the hindbrain. A new study in Nature now shows that GDF15 also facilitates weight loss by increasing energy expenditure in skeletal muscle.

In mice fed a western diet (high fat, high fructose), injections of GDF15 (which reduces food intake) were compared with caloric restriction alone in pair-fed control mice. To unmask potential effects on energy expenditure, some changes were made from previous study protocols. The mice were housed at thermoneutrality as opposed to room temperature, thereby decreasing their basal metabolic rate. Furthermore, the treatment protocol was extended out to 6 weeks (compared with 7–14 days in previous work). Finally, mice were injected with native human GDF15 at the start of the light cycle, when mice eat fewer calories, to minimize reductions in appetite.

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  1. Nature Reviews Endocrinology http://www.nature.com/nrendo/

    Shimona Starling

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  1. Shimona Starling
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Correspondence to Shimona Starling.

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Starling, S. GDF15 boosts muscle energy burn. Nat Rev Endocrinol 19, 499 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-023-00877-6

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