Ciliary ARL13B Is Essential for Body Weight Regulation in Mice.

Terry, Tiffany T; Gigante, Eduardo D; Alexandre, Coralie M; Brewer, Kathryn M; Yue, Xinyu; Berbari, Nicolas F; Vaisse, Christian; Caspary, Tamara · Diabetes · 2026

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The molecular mechanisms by which primary cilia regulate energy homeostasis remain poorly understood. Here, we evaluated whether the ciliary GTPase ARL13B regulates energy homeostasis and whether its localization to cilia is required to control body weight and feeding. Using genetic tools to isolate cilia-specific functions, we found that systemic exclusion of ARL13B from cilia causes hyperphagia and obesity in mice and that ciliary ARL13B is required in the nervous system for weight control. These findings identify ciliary ARL13B as a key regulator of energy homeostasis, contributing to our understanding of how primary cilia act as metabolic signaling hubs.