Pharmacologic activation of estrogen receptor β increases mitochondrial function, energy expenditure, and brown adipose tissue

Most satiety-inducing obesity therapeutics, despitemodest efficacy, have safety concerns that underscore the need for effective peripherally acting drugs. An attractive therapeutic approach for obesity is to optimize/ maximize energy expenditure by increasing energy-utilizing thermogenic brown adipose tissue. We used in vivo and in vitro models to determine the role of estrogen receptor β(ER-β) and its ligands on adipose biology. RNA sequencing and metabolomics were used to determine the mechanism of action of ER-β and its ligands. Estrogen receptor β (ER-β) and its selective ligand reprogrammed preadipocytes and precursor stemcells into brown adipose tissue and increased mitochondrial respiration. An ER-ββ-selective ligand increased markers of tricarboxylic acid- dependent and-independent energybiogenesis andoxygen consumption inmicewithout a concomitant increase in physical activity or food consumption, all culminating in significantly reduced weight gain and adiposity. The antiobesity effects of ER-β ligand were not observed in ER-β-knockout mice. Serum metabolite profiles of adult lean and juvenile micewere comparable,while that of adult obese mice was distinct, indicating a possible impact of obesity on age-dependent metabolism. This phenotype was partially reversed by ER-β-selective ligand. These data highlight a new role for ER-β in adipose biology and its potential to be a safer alternative peripheral therapeutic target for obesity. -Ponnusamy, S.,Tran,Q.T.,Harvey, I.,Smallwood,H. S.,Thiyagarajan,T.,Banerjee, S., Johnson, D. L., Dalton, J. T., Sullivan, R. D., Miller, D. D., Bridges, D., Narayanan, R. Pharmacologic activation of estrogen receptor β increases mitochondrial function, energy expenditure, and brown adipose tissue.