Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40411181›Full record

ArticleClinical science (London, England : 1979)2025

Epac1 mediates thermogenesis and lipolysis in white adipose tissue via the p38γ-NFAT5 axis in a PKA-independent manner.

Baile Wang, Christina Yingxian Chen, Jie Liu, Qin Wang, Wenxia Zhang, Jingwen Liu, Andrew C P Tai, Alan Kai, Ben C B Ko, Aimin Xu and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical science (London, England : 1979), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Baile Wang *State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8080-2964
Christina Yingxian Chen *School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Jie LiuState Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Qin WangState Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Wenxia ZhangFaculty of Medicine; Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine; Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, China.
Jingwen LiuState Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Andrew C P TaiSchool of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Alan KaiSchool of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Ben C B KoDepartment of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
Aimin XuState Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.ORCID 0000-0002-0668-033X
Sookja Kim ChungState Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.ORCID 0000-0002-0666-9827

Funding

Hong Kong Health and Medical Research Fund 02131826Hong Kong Research Grants Council/Area of Excellence AoE/M/707-18Macao Science and Technology Development Fund 001/2020/ALCMacao University of Science and Technology FRG-22-024-FMD
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Beige adipocytes in white adipose tissue (WAT) share similar functions as brown adipocytes by converting lipids into heat through thermogenesis, while lipolysis is considered as a prerequisite for the activation of non-shivering thermogenesis. β3-adrenergic receptor (β3-AR) agonist CL316,243 (CL) and cold exposure are known to enhance lipolysis and beiging of WAT in a protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent manner, while the role of PKA-independent pathways involved is still poorly understood. Here, we show that the exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 1 (Epac1), a downstream target of cAMP, mediates β3-AR activation to modulate thermogenesis and lipolysis in a PKA-independent manner. Upon CL treatment or cold exposure, both thermogenic and lipolytic responses were compromised in Epac1-deficient mice, as evidenced by reduced oxygen consumption, less beige adipocytes, lower body temperature, and decreased circulating glycerol. Additionally, in vitro beige adipogenesis with or without cAMP analog treatment was significantly impaired in Epac1-deficient mice. Mechanistically, reduced total and phosphorylated p38γ and decreased induction of nuclear factor activated in T cells 5 (NFAT5) were observed in Epac1-deficient mice, which may contribute to the defective beiging of WAT. However, WAT of wildtype and Epac1-deficient mice showed no significant induction difference in phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase at PKA and AMP-activated protein kinase sites with PKA activator, and in vitro beige adipogenesis was not altered in Epac1-deficient mice in response to PKA activation, indicating that Epac1 mediates lipolysis and beige adipogenesis in a PKA-independent manner. Taken together, Epac1 mediates β3-AR-induced beiging and lipolysis of WAT via the p38γ-NFAT5 axis in a PKA-independent manner.

Indexed as

Adipose Tissue, WhiteCyclic AMP-Dependent Protein KinasesGuanine Nucleotide Exchange FactorsLipolysisThermogenesisAnimalsDioxolesMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutReceptors, Adrenergic, beta-3Signal TransductionCyclic AMP-Dependent Protein KinasesDioxolesdisodium (R,R)-5-(2-((2-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxyethyl)-amino)propyl)-1,3-benzodioxole-2,3-dicarboxylateEpac protein, mouseGuanine Nucleotide Exchange FactorsReceptors, Adrenergic, beta-3Epac1lipolysisNFAT5p38γPKA-independentthermogenesiswhite adipose tissue

Identifiers

PMID40411181
PMCPMC12238815

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.