The transcription factor Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4A acts in the intestine to promote white adipose tissue energy storage

HNF4A is a transcription factor that controls metabolic features of several endodermal epithelia. Using an intestinal conditional mouse model, here we demonstrate that HNF4A is not required for intestinal lipid metabolism per se, but unexpectedly influences whole body energy expenditure under diet-induced obesity (DIO). Deletion of intestinal HNF4A causes mice to become DIO-resistant with preference for fat as an energy substrate and energetic changes in association with white adipose tissue (WAT) beiging. Intestinal HNF4A is crucial for fat-induced release of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), while reintroduction of a stabilized GIP analog rescues the DIO-resistance phenotype of the mutant mice. Our study provides evidence that intestinal HNF4A plays a non-redundant role in whole body lipid homeostasis and points to a novel non-cell-autonomous regulatory circuit for body fat management. mRNA profiles of eWAT and iWAT from control mice injected with saline or GIP analog (3 replicates/condition)