Effects of 6-OHDA-Mediated Chemical Denervation of Sympathetic Axons in Inguinal Subcutaneous White Adipose Tissue

Materials and methods: We utilised 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) as a validated approach to achieve bilateral sympathetic denervation of mouse inguinal subcutaneous WAT (ing-scWAT) and investigated impacts on adipose and whole-body metabolism.

Results: Sympathetic denervation did not impact body weight or adipose mass by 16 days post-denervation but significantly altered energy expenditure. Sympathetic denervation increased both sensory neuropeptide levels and sensory innervation at 7 days, which may explain the minimal whole-body impacts, since sensory nerves can contribute to many of the same metabolic processes as sympathetic nerves in adipose. In acute studies, intra-ing-scWAT norepinephrine delivery increased calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) levels in the depot, while CGRP administration reduced norepinephrine levels, underscoring previous reports of nerve cross talk at the tissue level.