Mice lacking endogenous TRPV1 express reduced levels of thermogenic proteins and are susceptible to diet-induced obesity and metabolic dysfunction

Transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily 1 (TRPV1) is a non-selective cation channel protein expressed in neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Although TRPV1 is implicated in thermogenesis and diet-induced obesity (DIO), its precise role remains controversial. TRPV1-/- mice are protected from DIO, while TRPV1 activation enhances thermogenesis to prevent obesity. To reconcile this, we fed wild-type and TRPV1-/- mice for 32 weeks with normal chow or a high-fat diet and analyzed the weight gain, metabolic activities, and thermogenic protein expression in white and brown fats. TRPV1-/- mice became obese, exhibited reduced locomotor activity, reduced energy expenditure, enhanced hepatic steatosis, and decreased thermogenic protein expression in adipose tissues. Our data reveal that lack of TRPV1 does not prevent obesity, but rather enhances metabolic dysfunction.