Objective: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (e.g., semaglutide) potently induce weight loss, thereby reducing obesity-related complications. However, weight regain occurs when treatment is discontinued. An increase in skeletal muscle oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) efficiency upon diet-mediated weight loss has been described, which may contribute to reduced systemic energy expenditure and weight regain. We set out to determine the unknown effect of semaglutide on muscle OXPHOS efficiency.
Methods: C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet for 12 weeks before receiving semaglutide or vehicle for 1 or 3 weeks. The rates of ATP production and oxygen (O2) consumption were measured via high-resolution respirometry and fluorometry to determine OXPHOS efficiency in muscle at these two time points.
Results: Semaglutide treatment led to significant reductions in fat and lean mass. Semaglutide improved skeletal muscle OXPHOS efficiency, measured as ATP produced per O2 consumed in permeabilized muscle fibers. Mitochondrial proteomic analysis revealed changes restricted to two proteins linked to complex III assembly (LYRM7 and TTC19; p < 0.05 without multiple corrections) without substantial changes in the abundance of OXPHOS subunits.
Conclusions: These data indicate that weight loss with semaglutide treatment increases skeletal muscle mitochondrial efficiency. Future studies could test whether it contributes to weight regain.
© 2025 The Author(s). Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Obesity Society.