Kdm2a deficiency in macrophages enhances thermogenesis to protect mice against HFD-induced obesity by enhancing H3K36me2 at the Pparg locus

Abstract

Kdm2a catalyzes H3K36me2 demethylation to play an intriguing epigenetic regulatory role in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Herein we found that myeloid-specific knockout of Kdm2a (LysM-Cre-Kdm2af/f, Kdm2a−/−) promoted macrophage M2 program by reprograming metabolic homeostasis through enhancing fatty acid uptake and lipolysis. Kdm2a−/− increased H3K36me2 levels at the Pparg locus along with augmented chromatin accessibility and Stat6 recruitment, which rendered macrophages with preferential M2 polarization. Therefore, the Kdm2a−/− mice were highly protected from high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis, and featured by the reduced accumulation of adipose tissue macrophages and repressed chronic inflammation following HFD challenge. Particularly, Kdm2a−/− macrophages provided a microenvironment in favor of thermogenesis. Upon HFD or cold challenge, the Kdm2a−/− mice manifested higher capacity for inducing adipose browning and beiging to promote energy expenditure. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the importance of Kdm2a-mediated H3K36 demethylation in orchestrating macrophage polarization, providing novel insight that targeting Kdm2a in macrophages could be a viable therapeutic approach against obesity and insulin resistance.