Translational control of murine adiponectin expression by an upstream open reading frame element

Adiponectin, an adipocyte-specific secretory protein encoded by the ADIPOQ gene has a causal role in insulin resistance. Anti-diabetic drugs increase plasma adiponectin by a poorly understood, post-transcriptional mechanism enhancing insulin sensitivity. Deletion analysis of a reporter bearing the mouse Adipoq mRNA 5'-leader identified an inhibitory cis-regulatory sequence. The 5'-leader harbours two potential upstream open reading frames (uORFs) overlapping the principal downstream ORF. Mutation of the uORF ATGs increased reporter translation ~3-fold, indicative of a functional uORF. uORFs are common in mammalian mRNAs; however, only a select group resist translational repression by the integrated stress response (ISR). Thapsigargin (TG), which induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the ISR, enhanced expression of a reporter bearing the Adipoq 5'-leader; polysome profiling verified translation-stimulation. TG-stimulated translation was absent in cells defective in Ser⁵¹ phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α), required for the ISR. To determine its role in expression and function of endogenous adiponectin, the upstream uORF was disrupted by CRISPR-Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of differentiated mouse 3T3-L1 adipocytes. uORF disruption in adipocytes increased adiponectin expression, triacylglycerol accumulation, and glucose uptake, and inhibited paracrine muscle and liver cell expression of gluconeogenic enzymes, establishing an important role of the uORF in adiponectin-mediated responses to stress.