Kdm2a deficiency in macrophages enhances thermogenesis to protect mice against HFD-induced obesity by enhancing H3K36me2 at the Pparg locus

Cell Death Differ. 2021 Jun;28(6):1880-1899. doi: 10.1038/s41418-020-00714-7. Epub 2021 Jan 18.

Abstract

Kdm2a catalyzes H3K36me2 demethylation to play an intriguing epigenetic regulatory role in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Herein we found that myeloid-specific knockout of Kdm2a (LysM-Cre-Kdm2af/f, Kdm2a-/-) promoted macrophage M2 program by reprograming metabolic homeostasis through enhancing fatty acid uptake and lipolysis. Kdm2a-/- increased H3K36me2 levels at the Pparg locus along with augmented chromatin accessibility and Stat6 recruitment, which rendered macrophages with preferential M2 polarization. Therefore, the Kdm2a-/- mice were highly protected from high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis, and featured by the reduced accumulation of adipose tissue macrophages and repressed chronic inflammation following HFD challenge. Particularly, Kdm2a-/- macrophages provided a microenvironment in favor of thermogenesis. Upon HFD or cold challenge, the Kdm2a-/- mice manifested higher capacity for inducing adipose browning and beiging to promote energy expenditure. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the importance of Kdm2a-mediated H3K36 demethylation in orchestrating macrophage polarization, providing novel insight that targeting Kdm2a in macrophages could be a viable therapeutic approach against obesity and insulin resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Humans
  • Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases / deficiency*
  • Macrophages / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Obesity / genetics*
  • Obesity / pathology
  • PPAR gamma / metabolism*
  • Thermogenesis
  • Transfection

Substances

  • PPAR gamma
  • Pparg protein, mouse
  • FBXL11 protein, mouse
  • Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases