Activation of pattern recognition receptors in brown adipocytes induces inflammation and suppresses uncoupling protein 1 expression and mitochondrial respiration

2014 ◽  
Vol 306 (10) ◽  
pp. C918-C930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyoung Bae ◽  
Carolyn J. Ricciardi ◽  
Debora Esposito ◽  
Slavko Komarnytsky ◽  
Pan Hu ◽  
...  

Pattern recognition receptors (PRR), Toll-like receptors (TLR), and nucleotide-oligomerization domain-containing proteins (NOD) play critical roles in mediating inflammation and modulating functions in white adipocytes in obesity. However, the role of PRR activation in brown adipocytes, which are recently found to be present in adult humans, has not been studied. Here we report that mRNA of TLR4, TLR2, NOD1, and NOD2 is upregulated, paralleled with upregulated mRNA of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the brown adipose tissue (BAT) of the obese mice. During brown adipocyte differentiation, mRNA and protein expression of NOD1 and TLR4, but not TLR2 and NOD2, is also increased. Activation of TLR4, TLR2, or NOD1 in brown adipocytes induces activation of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, leading to inflammatory cytokine/chemokine mRNA expression and/or protein secretion. Moreover, activation of TLR4, TLR2, or NOD1 attenuates both basal and isoproterenol-induced uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1) expression without affecting mitochondrial biogenesis and lipid accumulation in brown adipocytes. Cellular bioenergetics measurements confirm that attenuation of UCP-1 expression by PRR activation is accompanied by suppression of both basal and isoproterenol-stimulated oxygen consumption rates and isoproterenol-induced uncoupled respiration from proton leak; however, maximal respiration and ATP-coupled respiration are not changed. Further, the attenuation of UCP-1 by PRR activation appears to be mediated through downregulation of the UCP-1 promoter activities. Taken together, our results demonstrate the role of selected PRR activation in inducing inflammation and downregulation of UCP-1 expression and mitochondrial respiration in brown adipocytes. Our results uncover novel targets in BAT for obesity treatment and prevention.

2002 ◽  
Vol 282 (1) ◽  
pp. C105-C112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibian García ◽  
Maria-Jesús Obregón

To study the effect of the mitogens epidermal growth factor (EGF), acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors (aFGF and bFGF), and vasopressin on brown adipocyte differentiation, we analyzed the expression of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) mRNA. Quiescent brown preadipocytes express high levels of UCP-1 mRNA in response to triiodothyronine (T3) and norepinephrine (NE). The addition of serum or the mitogenic condition aFGF + vasopressin + NE or EGF + vasopressin + NE decreases UCP-1 mRNA. A second addition of mitogens further decreases UCP-1 mRNA. Treatment with aFGF or bFGF alone increases UCP-1 mRNA, whereas the addition of EGF or vasopressin dramatically reduces UCP-1 mRNA levels. The continuous presence of T3 increases UCP-1 mRNA levels in cells treated with EGF, aFGF, or bFGF. The effect of T3 on the stimulation of DNA synthesis also was tested. T3 inhibits the mitogenic activity of aFGF and bFGF. In conclusion, mitogens like aFGF or bFGF allow brown adipocyte differentiation, whereas EGF and vasopressin inhibit the differentiation process. T3 behaves as an important hormone that regulates both brown adipocyte proliferation and differentiation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saki Takayanagi ◽  
Kengo Watanabe ◽  
Takeshi Maruyama ◽  
Motoyuki Ogawa ◽  
Kazuhiro Morishita ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent studies have shown that adipose tissue is an immunological organ. While inflammation in energy-storing white adipose tissues has been the focus of intense research, the regulatory mechanisms of inflammation in heat-producing brown adipose tissues remain largely unknown. We previously identified apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) as a critical regulator of brown adipocyte maturation; the PKA-ASK1-p38 axis facilitates uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) induction cell-autonomously. Here, we show that ASK1 suppresses an innate immune pathway and contributes to maintenance of brown adipocytes. We report a novel chemical pull-down method for endogenous kinases using analog sensitive kinase allele (ASKA) technology and identify an ASK1 interactor in brown adipocytes, receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 2 (RIPK2). ASK1 disrupts the RIPK2 signaling complex and inhibits the NOD-RIPK2 pathway to downregulate the production of inflammatory cytokines. As a potential biological significance, an in vitro model for intercellular regulation suggests that ASK1 facilitates the expression of UCP1 through the suppression of inflammatory cytokine production. In parallel to our previous report on the PKA-ASK1-p38 axis, our work raises the possibility of an auxiliary role of ASK1 in brown adipocyte maintenance through neutralizing the thermogenesis-suppressive effect of the NOD-RIPK2 pathway.


Author(s):  
Jiefu Wang ◽  
Martin Krueger ◽  
Stefanie M. Hauck ◽  
Siegfried Ussar

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a key role in maintaining body temperature as well as glucose and lipid homeostasis by its ability to dissipate energy through mitochondrial uncoupling. To facilitate these tasks BAT needs to adopt its thermogenic activity and substrate utilization to changes in nutrient availability, regulated by a complex network of neuronal, endocrine and nutritional inputs. Amongst this multitude of factors influencing BAT activity changes in the autophagic response of brown adipocytes are an important regulator of its thermogenic capacity and activity. Increasing evidence supports an important role of amino acid transporters in mTORC1 activation and the regulation of autophagy. However, a specific role of amino acid transporters in BAT regulating its function has not been described. Here we show that the brown adipocyte specific proton coupled amino acid transporter PAT2 rapidly translocates from the plasma membrane to the lysosome in response to amino acid withdrawal, where it facilitates the assembly of the lysosomal vATPase. Loss or overexpression of PAT2 therefore impair lysosomal acidification, autophagolysosome formation and starvation induced mTORC1 activation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rose Kohlie ◽  
Nina Perwitz ◽  
Julia Resch ◽  
Sebastian M Schmid ◽  
Hendrik Lehnert ◽  
...  

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is key to energy homeostasis. By virtue of its thermogenic potential, it may dissipate excessive energy, regulate body weight and increase insulin sensitivity. Catecholamines are critically involved in the regulation of BAT thermogenesis, yet research has focussed on the effects of noradrenaline and adrenaline. Some evidence suggests a role of dopamine (DA) in BAT thermogenesis, but the cellular mechanisms involved have not been addressed. We employed our extensively characterised murine brown adipocyte cells. D1-like and D2-like receptors were detectable at the protein level. Stimulation with DA caused an increase in cAMP concentrations. Oxygen consumption rates (OCR), mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) levels increased after 24 h of treatment with either DA or a D1-like specific receptor agonist. A D1-like receptor antagonist abolished the DA-mediated effect on OCR, Δψm and UCP1. DA induced the release of fatty acids, which did not additionally alter DA-mediated increases of OCR. Mitochondrial mass (as determined by (i) CCCP- and oligomycin-mediated effects on OCR and (ii) immunoblot analysis of mitochondrial proteins) also increased within 24 h. This was accompanied by an increase in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1 alpha protein levels. Also, DA caused an increase in p38 MAPK phosphorylation and pharmacological inhibition of p38 MAPK abolished the DA-mediated effect on Δψm. In summary, our study is the first to reveal direct D1-like receptor and p38 MAPK-mediated increases of thermogenesis and mitochondrial mass in brown adipocytes. These results expand our understanding of catecholaminergic effects on BAT thermogenesis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Won Kon Kim ◽  
Baek-Soo Han

Abstract Brown adipocytes play important roles in the regulation of energy homeostasis by uncoupling protein 1-mediated non-shivering thermogenesis. Recent studies suggest that brown adipocytes as novel therapeutic targets for combating obesity and associated diseases, such as type II diabetes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying brown adipocyte differentiation and function are not fully understood. We employed previous findings obtained through proteomic studies performed to assess proteins displaying altered levels during brown adipocyte differentiation. Here, we performed assays to determine the functional significance of their altered levels during brown adipogenesis and development. We identified isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) as upregulated during brown adipocyte differentiation, with subsequent investigations revealing that ectopic expression of IDH1 inhibited brown adipogenesis, whereas suppression of IDH1 levels promoted differentiation of brown adipocytes. Additionally, Idh1 overexpression resulted in increased levels of intracellular α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) and inhibited the expression of genes involved in brown adipogenesis. Exogenous treatment with α-KG reduced brown adipogenesis during the early phase of differentiation, and ChIP analysis revealed that IDH1-mediated α-KG reduced trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 in the promoters of genes associated with brown adipogenesis. Furthermore, administration of α-KG decreased adipogenic gene expression by modulating histone methylation in brown adipose tissues of mice. These results suggested that the IDH1–α-KG axis plays an important role in regulating brown adipocyte differentiation and might represent a therapeutic target for treating metabolic diseases.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolin Muley ◽  
Stefan Kotschi ◽  
Alexander Bartelt

The acclimatization of brown adipose tissue (BAT) to sustained cold exposure requires an adaptive increase in proteasomal protein quality control. Ubiquilins represent a recently identified family of shuttle proteins with versatile functions in protein degradation, such as facilitating substrate targeting and proteasomal degradation. However, whether ubiquilins participate in brown adipocyte function has not been investigated so far. Here, we determine the role of ubiquilins for proteostasis and non-shivering thermogenesis in brown adipocytes. We found that Ubqln1, 2 and 4 are highly expressed in BAT and their expression was induced by cold and proteasomal inhibition. Surprisingly, silencing of ubiquilin gene expression (one or multiple in combinations) did not lead to aggravated ER stress or inflammation. Moreover, ubiquitin level and proteasomal activity under basal conditions were not impacted by loss of ubiquilins. Also, non-shivering thermogenesis measured by norepinephrine-induced respiration remained intact after loss of ubiquilins. In conclusion, ubiquilin proteins are highly abundant in BAT and regulated by cold, but they are dispensable for brown adipocyte proteostasis and thermogenesis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 781-790 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Meng ◽  
Xiuci Liang ◽  
Ting Xiao ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Jie Wen ◽  
...  

Abstract Increasing brown and beige fat thermogenesis have an anti-obesity effect and thus great metabolic benefits. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating brown and beige fat thermogenesis remain to be further elucidated. We recently found that fat-specific knockout of Rheb promoted beige fat thermogenesis. In the current study, we show that Rheb has distinct effects on thermogenic gene expression in brown and beige fat. Fat-specific knockout of Rheb decreased protein kinase A (PKA) activity and thermogenic gene expression in brown adipose tissue of high-fat diet-fed mice. On the other hand, overexpression of Rheb activated PKA and increased uncoupling protein 1 expression in brown adipocytes. Mechanistically, Rheb overexpression in brown adipocytes increased Notch expression, leading to disassociation of the regulatory subunit from the catalytic subunit of PKA and subsequent PKA activation. Our study demonstrates that Rheb, by selectively modulating thermogenic gene expression in brown and beige adipose tissues, plays an important role in regulating energy homeostasis.


PPAR Research ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Y. Chen ◽  
Q. Liu ◽  
A. M. Salter ◽  
M. A. Lomax

Expression of the brown adipocyte-specific gene, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), is increased by both PPARγstimulation and cAMP activation through their ability to stimulate the expression of the PPAR coactivator PGC1α. In HIB1B brown preadipocytes, combination of the PPARγagonist, rosiglitazone, and the cAMP stimulator forskolin synergistically increased UCP1 mRNA expression, but PGC1αexpression was only increased additively by the two drugs. The PPARγantagonist, GW9662, and the PKA inhibitor, H89, both inhibited UCP1 expression stimulated by rosiglitazone and forskolin but PGC1αexpression was not altered to the same extent. Reporter studies demonstrated that combined rosiglitazone and forskolin synergistically activated transcription from a full length 3.1 kbp UCP1 luciferase promoter construct, but the response was only additive and much reduced when a minimal 260 bp proximal UCP1 promoter was examined. Rosiglitazone and forskolin in combination were able to synergistically stimulate promoters comprising of tandem repeats of either PPREs or CREs. We conclude that rosiglitazone and forskolin act together to synergistically activate the UCP1 promoter directly rather than by increasing PGC1αexpression and by a mechanism involving cross-talk between the signalling systems regulating the CRE and PPRE on the promoters.


2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 2618-2627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valérie Gouon-Evans ◽  
Jeffrey W. Pollard

Abstract Mammary fat tissue is crucial for mammary ductal morphogenesis in both fetal and adult mice. There are two kinds of adipocytes, the energy-storing white and the energy-dissipating brown adipocyte. The precise identity of the types of adipocyte in the mammary gland has never been investigated but was always assumed to be only white fat. In this study, we show that both white and brown adipocytes are present in the postnatal mammary gland. The amount of brown adipose tissue (BAT) examined by histology and electron microscopy correlates with the transcript levels of uncoupling protein 1, which is a mitochondrial carrier expressed exclusively in BAT. Uncoupling protein 1 mRNAs are the highest during prepuberty, decrease upon puberty, and are finally undetectable in the adult mammary gland. The analysis of a BAT-depleted mouse model showed that depletion of mammary BAT in early postnatal development induces epithelial differentiation. Alveolar structures were formed along all ducts and were functional since they produced β-casein. However, mammary transplantation experiments indicated that a systemic effect was responsible for epithelium differentiation. Our data suggest that BAT negatively regulates the differentiation of mammary epithelial cells in a systemic manner during prepubertal ductal outgrowth.


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