Abstract 537: Dock2 Deficiency Mitigates High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity by Reducing Adipose Tissue Inflammation While Increasing Energy Expenditure
Obesity is a public health problem as its association with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and many other diseases. Adipose tissue inflammation is frequently observed and plays a vital role in obesity and insulin resistance. Dedicator of cytokinesis 2 (DOCK2) has shown proinflammatory effect in several inflammatory diseases, but its role in obesity remain unknown. To explore the function of DOCK2 in obesity and insulin resistance, wild-type (WT) and DOCK2 knockout (DOCK2-/-) mice were fed with chow or high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. Metabolic, biochemical and histologic analyses were performed. DOCK2 expression was robustly up-regulated in adipose tissue in WT mice given HFD. DOCK2-/- mice were protected against HFD-enhanced body weight gain with an improved metabolic homeostasis and insulin resistance. In addition, DOCK2 deficiency attenuated adipose tissue and systemic inflammation accompanied by a reduced macrophage infiltration. Moreover, DOCK2 deficiency induced the adipose tissue browning and increased energy expenditure as shown by the up-regulation of metabolic genes in DOCK2-/- mice. Our data indicated that DOCK2 deficiency can protect mice from HFD-induced obesity, metabolic disorders, and insulin resistance. Therefore, targeting DOCK2 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for treating obesity-associated diseases.