Using this obesity mouse model (Fig. 6a), we found that the expression levels of both DNase2 and TREX1 in HSCs (which express Desmin) were substantially reduced in obese mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD), as compared to those in lean mice fed a normal diet (ND) (Fig. 6e). Here, TREX1 is linked to obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.