Adipocyte YTH N(6)-methyladenosine RNA-binding protein 1 protects against obesity by promoting white adipose tissue beiging in male mice

Obesity, one of the most serious public health issues, is caused by the imbalance of energy intake and energy expenditure. N(6)-methyladenosine (m(6)A) RNA modification has been recently identified as a key regulator of obesity, while the detailed mechanism is elusive. Here, we find that YTH RNA binding protein 1 (YTHDF1), an m(6)A reader, acts as an essential regulator of white adipose tissue metabolism. The expression of YTHDF1 decreases in adipose tissue of male mice fed a high-fat diet. Adipocyte-specific Ythdf1 deficiency exacerbates obesity-induced metabolic defects and inhibits beiging of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) in male mice. By contrast, male mice with WAT-specific YTHDF1 overexpression are resistant to obesity and shows promotion of beiging. Mechanistically, YTHDF1 regulates the translation of diverse m(6)A-modified mRNAs. In particular, YTHDF1 facilitates the translation of bone morphogenetic protein 8b (Bmp8b) in an m(6)A-dependent manner to induce the beiging process. Here, we show that YTHDF1 may be an potential therapeutic target for the management of obesity-associated diseases. Activation of white adipose tissue (WAT) thermogenesis alleviates obesity-associated metabolic disorders in rodents. Here the authors report that the m6 A RNA modification reader YTHDF1 promotes WAT thermogenesis in a study with male mice, and may be a potential target for the treatment of obesity.