GDF15 deficiency promotes high fat diet-induced obesity in mice

Pharmacological treatment of recombinant growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) proteins reduces body weight in obese rodents and primates. Paradoxically, circulating GDF15 levels are increased in obesity. To investigate the role of endogenous GDF15 in obesity development, we put GDF15 knockout mice and wildtype controls on high fat diet for the mice to develop diet-induced obesity. Compared to wildtype animals, GDF15 knockout mice were more prone to high fat diet-induced obesity. Male knockout mice showed worse glucose tolerance, lower locomotor activity and lower metabolic rate than wildtype mice. Additionally, GDF15 deficiency increased occurrences of high fat diet-induced skin lesions. Our data suggests that endogenous GDF15 has a protective role in obesity development and lack of GDF15 aggravates the progression of obesity and associated pathological conditions. Elevated GDF15 levels in obesity may have resulted from a response to overcome GDF15 resistance.