Mode of Action for the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) in Energy Balance Modulation

Obesity and the intimately associated metabolic syndrome have become one of the worst global public health problems today. The therapeutic approaches available at present have proven unsatisfactory and novel remedies are thus frantically sought. Recent studies have surprisingly revealed that ablation or partial inhibition of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in mice prevents high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, fatty liver, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance while not influencing body weight on a standard diet. This appears to result from enhanced energy expenditure in mice on HFD, but the mechanism has remained elusive. The main objective of this project is to elucidate it and thereby shed light on the role of AHR in energy homeostasis.