The major cap-binding protein eIF4E regulates lipid homeostasis and diet-induced obesity

Obesity is a global epidemic leading to increased mortality and susceptibility to comorbidities, with few viable therapeutic interventions. A hallmark of disease progression is the ectopic deposition of lipids in the form of lipid droplets in vital organs such as the liver. However, the mechanisms underlying the dynamic storage and processing of lipids in peripheral organs remain an outstanding question. Here, we show an unexpected function for the major cap-binding protein, eIF4E, in high-fat-diet-induced obesity. In response to lipid overload, select networks of proteins involved in fat deposition are altered in eIF4E-deficient mice. Specifically, distinct messenger RNAs involved in lipid metabolic processing and storage pathways are enhanced at the translation level by eIF4E. Failure to translationally upregulate these mRNAs results in increased fatty acid oxidation, which enhances energy expenditure. We further show that inhibition of eIF4E phosphorylation genetically—and by a potent clinical compound—restrains weight gain following intake of a high-fat diet. Together, our study uncovers translational control of lipid processing as a driver of high-fat-diet-induced weight gain and provides a pharmacological target to treat obesity. The cap-binding protein eIF4E is a master regulator of mRNA translation. Conn et al. identify a specific subset of mRNAs governing lipid metabolism and storage that require eIF4E for translation in the liver during obesity.