Alteration of cardiolipin-dependent mitochondrial coupling in muscle protects against obesity

The skeletal muscle-specific mitochondrial coupling defect produced a global elevation in basal energy expenditure with increased carbohydrate and lipid catabolism, despite decreased muscle mass and locomotor capacities. Mice were protected against diet-induced obesity despite reduced muscle activity, providing an proof of concept that reducing mitochondrial coupling efficiency in skeletal muscle might be an actionable mechanism in metabolic disease conditions.