Tre-2/USP6, BUB2, cdc16 domain family member 1 (the TBC domain is the GTPase activating protein domain) (TBC1D1) is a Rab GTPase activating protein that is phosphorylated on Ser 231 by the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in response to intracellular energy stress. However, the in vivo role and importance of this phosphorylation event remains unknown. To address this question, we generated a mouse model harboring a TBC1D1 Ser231Ala knockin (KI) mutation and found that the KI mice developed obesity on a normal chow diet. Mechanistically, TBC1D1 is located on insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) storage vesicles, and the KI mutation increases endocrinal and paracrinal/autocrinal IGF1 secretion in an Rab8a-dependent manner. Hypersecretion of IGF1 causes increased expression of lipogenic genes via activating the protein kinase B (PKB; also known as Akt)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in adipose tissues, which contributes to the development of obesity, diabetes, and hepatic steatosis as the KI mice age. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the AMPK-TBC1D1 signaling nexus interacts with the PKB-mTOR pathway via IGF1 secretion, which consequently controls expression of lipogenic genes in the adipose tissue. These findings also have implications for drug discovery to combat obesity.D ue to changes in diet and lifestyle, metabolic syndrome including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is increasing in prevalence worldwide, putting a huge burden on modern society and motivating us to get better understanding of these diseases and how to combat them.High energy intake and lack of physical activity can result in imbalances of energy metabolism and changed energy status of the body, which is monitored by the energy-sensing kinase AMPactivated protein kinase (AMPK) (1). The AMPK holoenzyme is a heterotrimer, consisting of catalytic α (α1 and α2), regulatory β (β1 and β2), and γ (γ1, γ2 and γ3) subunits (1). AMPK is mainly activated through Thr 172 phosphorylation in its catalytic domain by the upstream liver kinase B1 (LKB1) under energy stress conditions that increase the cellular AMP:ATP ratio (2, 3). AMPK can regulate both glucose and lipid metabolism by its phosphorylation of multiple substrates (4). For instance, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), an enzyme important for fatty acid synthesis and oxidation, is regulated through an inhibitory phosphorylation by AMPK, which is essential for the control of lipid metabolism (5). The LKB1-AMPK pathway can also control glucose uptake into skeletal muscle by promoting translocation of the glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) from its intracellular storage sites onto plasma membrane in response to a pharmacological AMPK activator, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside (AICAR), or muscle contraction (6). However, the mechanism by which AMPK promotes translocation of GLUT4 onto plasma membrane is not well understood.Tre-2/USP6, BUB2, cdc16 domain family member 1 [the TBC domain is the GTPase activating protein (GAP) domain] (TBC1D1) is an R...