Cited by 332Regulation of Appetite and ObesityAdipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic DiseasesAdipose Tissue and Metabolism

An exercise-inducible metabolite that suppresses feeding and obesity

Open access
Li, Veronica L., He, Yang, Contrepois, Kévin, Liu, Hailan, Kim, Joon T., Wiggenhorn, Amanda L., Tanzo, Julia T., Tung, Alan Sheng-Hwa +21 more·2022·Nature

Abstract

Exercise confers protection against obesity, type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases 1-5. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that mediate the metabolic benefits of physical activity remain unclear 6. Here we show that exercise stimulates the production of N-lactoyl-phenylalanine (Lac-Phe), a blood-borne signalling metabolite that suppresses feeding and obesity. The biosynthesis of Lac-Phe from lactate and phenylalanine occurs in CNDP2+ cells, including macrophages, monocytes and other immune and epithelial cells localized to diverse organs. In diet-induced obese mice, pharmacological-mediated increases in Lac-Phe reduces food intake without affecting movement or energy expenditure. Chronic administration of Lac-Phe decreases adiposity and body weight and improves glucose homeostasis. Conversely, genetic ablation of Lac-Phe biosynthesis in mice increases food intake and obesity following exercise training. Last, large activity-inducible increases in circulating Lac-Phe are also observed in humans and racehorses, establishing this metabolite as a molecular effector associated with physical activity across multiple activity modalities and mammalian species. These data define a conserved exercise-inducible metabolite that controls food intake and influences systemic energy balance.

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  • A recent study revealed that lactate reduced appetite via N-lactoyl-phenylalanine (Lac-Phe) and exerted neuroplastic effects through the BDNF pathway.

    “A recent study revealed that lactate reduced appetite via N-lactoyl-phenylalanine (Lac-Phe) and exerted neuroplastic effects through the BDNF pathway [58].”

    From High-intensity interval training or lactate administration combined with aerobic training enhances visceral fat loss while promoting VMH neuroplasticity in female rats (2024) · cites this paper as [58]

    The 'Lac-Phe suppresses feeding and obesity' section reports that Lac-Phe reduced food intake in diet-induced obese mice, while lactate alone had no effect. The Discussion says Lac-Phe’s downstream mediators in the brain remain unidentified; the paper does not establish neuroplastic effects through a BDNF pathway. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.91)

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  1. [15]Sanford JA Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC): Mapping the Dynamic Responses to Exercise. Cell 181, 1464– 1474 (2020). 32589957 PMC8800485

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Authors
Li, V. L., He, Y., Contrepois, K., Liu, H., Kim, J. T., Wiggenhorn, A. L., Tanzo, J. T., Tung, A. S.-H., Lyu, X., Zushin, P.-J. H., Jansen, R. S., Michael, B., Loh, K. Y., Yang, A. C., Carl, C. S., Voldstedlund, C. T., Wei, W., Terrell, S. M., Moeller, B. C., Arthur, R. M., Wallis, G. A., van de Wetering, K., Stahl, A., Kiens, B., Richter, E. A., Banik, S. M., Snyder, M. P., Xu, Y., & Long, J. Z.
Affiliations
  • Stanford Medicine (US)
  • Baylor College of Medicine (US)
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
  • Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
  • Stanford University (US)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • University of California, Davis (US)
  • University of Birmingham (GB)
Corresponding author
  • Xu, Yong
  • Long, Jonathan Z.
Venue
Nature
Published
2022-06-15
Volume
606
Issue
7915
Pages
785-790
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W4282972916
Cited by
331
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 69 · 2025: 91 · 2024: 86 · 2023: 61 · 2022: 24
FWCI
34.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Digital Commons-TMC (Texas Medical Center) (submittedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture (51000-064-01S)
  • American Heart Association (20POST35120600)
  • Novo Nordisk
  • Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF18OC0034072, NNF17OC0027274)
  • Ono Pharma Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health (DK130541, 51000-064-01S, DK113954)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (T32GM113854)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK124265, R01DK120858, R01DK118940, P01DK113954, R01DK126830, R01DK117281, R01DK115761, DP1DK130641, R01DK109934, P30DK020579)
  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R01AR072695)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
Keywords
physical activity, feeding inhibition, obesity, dietary intake, energy balance, lactate, phenylalanine, CNDP2, macrophages, monocytes, glucose homeostasis, diet-induced obesity, exercise training, racehorses
MeSH terms
Animals, Body Weight, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Disease Models, Animal, Eating, Energy Metabolism, Feeding Behavior, Glucose, Obesity, Phenylalanine, Physical Conditioning, Animal, Lactic Acid, Adiposity, Mice

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