CFTR regulates brown adipocyte thermogenesis via the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by reduced growth and lower body weight, which are multifactorial. CF mouse models lack key disease characteristics that predispose to a negative energy balance, such as pulmonary infections or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and yet they still exhibit a growth defect and an abnormally increased energy expenditure. Whether adipocyte thermogenesis contributes to the elevated resting energy expenditure in CF mice is unknown.

We examined the expression of CFTR in thermogenic brown adipose tissue (BAT) and investigated a functional role for CFTR using BAT-specific CFTR null mice (CFTR^BATKO).

The CFTR protein is expressed in mouse BAT at levels comparable to those in the lungs. BAT-specific inactivation of CFTR in mice increases whole-body energy expenditure associated with sympathetic stimulation by cold exposure. Weight gain on a high-fat diet is attenuated in these mice. However, CFTR-deficient brown adipocytes themselves have impaired, rather than enhanced, thermogenic responses. These cells feature decreased lipolysis and blunted activation of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway in response to adrenergic stimulation. This suggests that compensatory heat production in other tissues likely accounts for the increased systemic energy expenditure seen in CFTR^BATKO mice.

Our data reveal a new role for CFTR in the regulation of adipocyte thermogenesis.