Whole Body Deletion Protects Mice from Age-Induced Weight Gain, Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Dysfunction.

(1) Background: We previously demonstrated that disruption of IP6K1 improves metabolism, protecting mice from high-fat diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis. Age-induced metabolic dysfunction is a major risk factor for metabolic diseases. The involvement of IP6K1 in this process is unknown. (2) Methods: Here, we compared body and fat mass, insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure and serum-, adipose tissue- and liver-metabolic parameters of chow-fed, aged, wild type () and whole body knockout () mice. (3) Results: IP6K1 was upregulated in the adipose tissue and liver of mice compared to young mice. Moreover, deletion blocked age-induced increase in body- and fat-weight and insulin resistance in mice. mice oxidized carbohydrates more efficiently. The knockouts displayed reduced levels of serum insulin, triglycerides, and non-esterified fatty acids. deletion partly protected age-induced decline of the thermogenic uncoupling protein UCP1 in inguinal white adipose tissue. Targets inhibited by IP6K1 activity such as the insulin sensitivity- and energy expenditure-inducing protein kinases, protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), were activated in the adipose tissue and liver of mice. (4) Conclusions: deletion maintains healthy metabolism in aging and thus, targeting this kinase may delay the development of age-induced metabolic dysfunction.