This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Iankova, I. Articles by Fajas, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Iankova, I. Articles by Fajas, L.

Regulator of G Protein Signaling-4 Controls Fatty Acid and Glucose Homeostasis

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité 834 (I.I., C.Ch., C.Cl., J.-S.A., L.F.), Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (I.I., C.Ch., C.Cl., J.-S.A., L.F.), Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 896 (I.I., C.Ch., C.Cl., J.-S.A., L.F.), Université Montpellier 1, and Centre Régional de Lutte Contre le Cancer Val d’Aurelle (I.I., C.Ch., C.Cl., J.-S.A., L.F.), Montpellier F-34298, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unit 661 (C.Co., N.C.G.), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR5203 (C.Co., N.C.G.); Universités Montpellier 1 and 2 (C.Co., N.C.G.); Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (C.Co., N.C.G.), F-34094 Montpellier, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (N.G., J.-F.B.), Unité Mixté de Recherche 8542, Ecole Normale Supérieure, F-75005 Paris, France; The Scripps Research Institute (N.G.), La Jolla, California 92037; and Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Arnaud de Villeneuve (L.F.), F-34000 Montpellier, France

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 834, Centre Régional de Lutte Contre le Cancer Val d’Aurelle, Parc Euromedecine, 34298 Montpellier, France. E-mail: l.fajas{at}valdorel.fnclcc.fr.

Circulating free fatty acids are a reflection of the balance between lipogenesis and lipolysis that takes place mainly in adipose tissue. We found that mice deficient for regulator of G protein signaling (RGS)-4 have increased circulating catecholamines, and increased free fatty acids. Consequently, RGS4^–/– mice have increased concentration of circulating free fatty acids; abnormally accumulate fatty acids in liver, resulting in liver steatosis; and show a higher degree of glucose intolerance and decreased insulin secretion in pancreas. We show in this study that RGS4 controls adipose tissue lipolysis through regulation of the secretion of catecholamines by adrenal glands. RGS4 controls the balance between adipose tissue lipolysis and lipogenesis, secondary to its role in the regulation of catecholamine secretion by adrenal glands. RGS4 therefore could be a good target for the treatment of metabolic diseases.