Fig. 9.

Impacts of Gdf11 gene transfer on TGF-β/Smad2, AMPK, and PI3K/AKT/FoxO1 signaling pathways. Total protein of EWAT was isolated from mice at the end of 8-week feeding period after gene transfer, and protein levels of selected genes were determined by western blotting in GDF11-treated, HFD-fed control and Chow control animals. a Western blotting analysis for SMAD2, p-SMAD2 and β-actin; b western blotting analysis for AMPK, p-AMPK, and β-actin; c western blotting analysis for AKT, p-AKT, FoxO1, p-FoxO1, and β-actin; d depicted pathways impacted by gene transfer of Gdf11 in HFD-induced obesity mouse models. GDF11 treatment activates AMPK, AKT, and SMAD2 signal pathways, which increases the energy expenditure of mice, upregulates the expression of genes responsible for thermoregulation in brown adipose tissue, downregulates the expression of inflammatory genes in white adipose tissue and those involved in hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism. Each data point represents mean ± SEM, *P < 0.05 comparing to mice fed regular Chow, ^#P < 0.05 comparing to mice fed an HFD and injected with control plasmids