Flurbiprofen ameliorated obesity by attenuating leptin resistance induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress

EMBO Mol Med. 2014 Mar;6(3):335-46. doi: 10.1002/emmm.201303227. Epub 2014 Jan 13.

Abstract

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, caused by the accumulation of unfolded proteins, is involved in the development of obesity. We demonstrated that flurbiprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), exhibited chaperone activity, which reduced protein aggregation and alleviated ER stress-induced leptin resistance, characterized by insensitivity to the actions of the anti-obesity hormone leptin. This result was further supported by flurbiprofen attenuating high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice. The other NSAIDs tested did not exhibit such effects, which suggested that this anti-obesity action is mediated independent of NSAIDs. Using ferriteglycidyl methacrylate beads, we identified aldehyde dehydrogenase as the target of flurbiprofen, but not of the other NSAIDs. These results suggest that flurbiprofen may have unique pharmacological properties that reduce the accumulation of unfolded proteins and may represent a new class of drug for the fundamental treatment of obesity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / genetics
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism*
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / drug effects*
  • Flurbiprofen / pharmacology*
  • Flurbiprofen / therapeutic use
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Leptin / blood
  • Leptin / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Obese
  • Obesity / drug therapy
  • Obesity / etiology
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Leptin
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Flurbiprofen
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase