Presenter: Jared Carter
Authors: Jared Carter
Faculty Advisor: Jeffrey Tessem
Institution: Brigham Young University
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic illness that plagues millions of Americans on a daily basis. Victims of this chronic disease suffer from impaired glucose tolerance and weight gain. A group of nuclear transcription factors called Nr4a (including Nr4a3) have shown significant influence over the development of glucose intolerance and weight gain. The purpose of our project was to define the role of Nr4a3 in mitochondrial respiration of adipocyte tissue. Our data shows that Nr4a3 KO male mice have decreased glucose tolerance and an increase of adipose depot size. This led to research of other tissues in a mouse model to determine Nr4a3s effect on other tissues and processes in the cell. Assays show a decrease in cellular respiration in males and in the adipose tissue of females. Specifically we found significant inhibition of the Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle. It is already known that complex 1 is altered in Nr4a3 KO mice from respiration assays. We hypothesize that the presence of Nr4a3 increases protein and gene expression of enzymes used in all reactions of the TCA, which ultimately affects respiration. Our research of Nr4a3 will increase understanding of the adipocyte metabolic pathway, mitochondrial respiration and the development of Type 2 diabetes.