Deficiency of C1q/TNF-related protein 3 (CTRP3) decreases adipose tissue weight in diet-induced obesity mice.

Adipokines are important regulators of lipid and glucose metabolism. A family of adiponectin paralogs is known as C1q and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related proteins (CTRPs). One line of Ctrp3-deficient mice shows reduced liver size in response to obesity. We generated and characterized another line of Ctrp3 knockout (KO) mice to reveal novel physiological functions of CTRP3. Interestingly, high fat diet (HFD)-fed Ctrp3 KO mice displayed a decrease in the epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT) weight to total body weight ratio. Histologically, adipocyte size was significantly smaller in the epididymal WAT of HFD-fed Ctrp3 KO mice than wild-type (WT) controls. The expression of several genes involved in lipogenesis, lipolysis and adipogenesis in the epididymal WAT of Ctrp3 KO mice fed a HFD was decreased. The present findings provide new insight into the role of CTRP3 as adipokine in the regulation of adipose tissue in obesity.