Glucocorticoids and regulation of brown adipose tissue in humans – physiological and pathophysiological considerations

2017 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 227
Author(s):  
Aleksander Rajczewski ◽  
Magdalena Gibas-Dorna
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Uncoupling Protein ◽  
The Body ◽  
Adrenergic Stimulation ◽  
Therapeutic Goals ◽  
Bat Activity ◽  
Brown Adipose ◽  
Beige Adipocytes ◽  
Differentiation And Proliferation

This review discusses the effects of glucocorticoids (GCs) on brown adipose tissue (BAT) in the context of obesity prevention and therapy. Due to the unique expression of the uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), BAT is capable of non‑shivering thermogenesis, also defined as a metabolic heat production, related to increased metabolic rate. All processes that contribute to an increase in activity and/or quantity of BAT are able to upturn metabolism, and thus enable the above therapeutic goals to be achieved. GCs may stimulate BAT differentiation and proliferation. In the case of differentiation, the opposite effect of GCs has been also described. Within white adipose tissue (WAT) GCs inhibit the formation of so called beige adipocytes that are functionally and morphologically similar to the adipocytes from BAT. The activity of GCs with concomitant inhibition of WAT browning is mediated by the induction of microRNA-27b (MIR27B) expression. GCs are responsible for the decline in BAT activity as the body ages. Depriving the body of an enzyme responsible for local reduction of cortisone into an active GC‑cortisol in BAT (11β‑hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1; 11β‑HSD1) prevents the reduction of BAT activity. The effects of high doses of GCs on BAT generally depend on the exposure time. Prolonged elevation in GCs level decreases BAT activity. During adrenergic stimulation the effect of GCs on BAT is ambiguous, because both decrease and increase in activity has been described. A full understanding of the GCs impact on brown remodeling in WAT may reveal a discovery of a novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for obesity and possibly other metabolic disorders.

scholarly journals Sex Differences in Brown Adipose Tissue Function: Sex Hormones, Glucocorticoids, and Their Crosstalk

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasiphak Kaikaew ◽  
Aldo Grefhorst ◽  
Jenny A. Visser
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Sex Hormones ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Bat Activity ◽  
Pathological Conditions ◽  
Brown Adipose

Excessive fat accumulation in the body causes overweight and obesity. To date, research has confirmed that there are two types of adipose tissue with opposing functions: lipid-storing white adipose tissue (WAT) and lipid-burning brown adipose tissue (BAT). After the rediscovery of the presence of metabolically active BAT in adults, BAT has received increasing attention especially since activation of BAT is considered a promising way to combat obesity and associated comorbidities. It has become clear that energy homeostasis differs between the sexes, which has a significant impact on the development of pathological conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Sex differences in BAT activity may contribute to this and, therefore, it is important to address the underlying mechanisms that contribute to sex differences in BAT activity. In this review, we discuss the role of sex hormones in the regulation of BAT activity under physiological and some pathological conditions. Given the increasing number of studies suggesting a crosstalk between sex hormones and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in metabolism, we also discuss this crosstalk in relation to sex differences in BAT activity.

Enlargement of Interscapular Brown Adipose Tissue in Growth Hormone Antagonist Transgenic and in Growth Hormone Receptor Gene-Disrupted Dwarf Mice

2003 ◽  
Vol 228 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuesheng Li ◽  
Joanne R. Knapp ◽  
John J. Kopchick
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Uncoupling Protein ◽  
The Body ◽  
Northern Analysis ◽  
Interscapular Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Triglyceride Accumulation ◽  
Brown Adipose ◽  
Dwarf Mice

Growth hormone (GH) acts on adipose tissue by accelerating fat expenditure, preventing triglyceride accumulation, and facilitating lipid mobilization. To investigate whether GH is involved in the development and metabolism of interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT), a site of nonshivering thermogenesis, we employed three lines of transgenic mice. Two of the lines are dwarf due to expression of a GH antagonist (GHA) or disruption of the GH receptor/binding-protein gene. A third mouse line is giant due to overexpression of a bovine GH (bGH) transgene. We have found that the body weights of those animals are proportional to their body lengths at 10 weeks of age. However, GHA dwarf mice tend to catch up with the nontransgenic (NT) littermates in body weight but not in body length at 52 weeks of age. The increase of body mass index (BMI) for GHA mice accelerates rapidly relative to controls as a function of age. We have also observed that BAT in both dwarf mouse lines but not in giant mice is enlarged in contrast to nontransgenic littermates. This enlargement occurs as a function of age. Northern analysis suggests that BAT can be a GH-responsive tissue because GHR/BP mRNAs were found there. Finally, the level of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) RNA was found to be higher in dwarf mice and lower in giant animals relative to controls, suggesting that GH-mediated signaling may negatively regulate UCP1 gene expression in BAT.

scholarly journals Brown adipose tissue development and function and its impact on reproduction

2018 ◽  
Vol 238 (1) ◽  
pp. R53-R62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E Symonds ◽  
Peter Aldiss ◽  
Neele Dellschaft ◽  
James Law ◽  
Hernan P Fainberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Heat Production ◽  
Maternal Obesity ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Uncoupling Protein ◽  
The Body ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Brown Adipose ◽  
Fat Depot

Although brown adipose tissue (BAT) is one of the smallest organs in the body, it has the potential to have a substantial impact on both heat production as well as fat and carbohydrate metabolism. This is most apparent at birth, which is characterised with the rapid appearance and activation of the BAT specific mitochondrial uncoupling protein (UCP)1 in many large mammals. The amount of brown fat then gradually declines with age, an adaptation that can be modulated by the thermal environment. Given the increased incidence of maternal obesity and its potential transmission to the mother’s offspring, increasing BAT activity in the mother could be one mechanism to prevent this cycle. To date, however, all rodent studies investigating maternal obesity have been conducted at standard laboratory temperature (21°C), which represents an appreciable cold challenge. This could also explain why offspring weight is rarely increased, suggesting that future studies would benefit from being conducted at thermoneutrality (~28°C). It is also becoming apparent that each fat depot has a unique transcriptome and show different developmental pattern, which is not readily apparent macroscopically. These differences could contribute to the retention of UCP1 within the supraclavicular fat depot, the most active depot in adult humans, increasing heat production following a meal. Despite the rapid increase in publications on BAT over the past decade, the extent to which modifications in diet and/or environment can be utilised to promote its activity in the mother and/or her offspring remains to be established.

scholarly journals Novel Browning Agents, Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Potentials of Brown Adipose Tissue

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umesh D. Wankhade ◽  
Michael Shen ◽  
Hariom Yadav ◽  
Keshari M. Thakali
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Uncoupling Protein ◽  
Brown Adipocytes ◽  
Atp Production ◽  
Obesity And Diabetes ◽  
Brown Adipose ◽  
Beige Adipocytes

Nonshivering thermogenesis is the process of biological heat production in mammals and is primarily mediated by brown adipose tissue (BAT). Through ubiquitous expression of uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1) on the mitochondrial inner membrane, BAT displays uncoupling of fuel combustion and ATP production in order to dissipate energy as heat. Because of its crucial role in regulating energy homeostasis, ongoing exploration of BAT has emphasized its therapeutic potential in addressing the global epidemics of obesity and diabetes. The recent appreciation that adult humans possess functional BAT strengthens this prospect. Furthermore, it has been identified that there are both classical brown adipocytes residing in dedicated BAT depots and “beige” adipocytes residing in white adipose tissue depots that can acquire BAT-like characteristics in response to environmental cues. This review aims to provide a brief overview of BAT research and summarize recent findings concerning the physiological, cellular, and developmental characteristics of brown adipocytes. In addition, some key genetic, molecular, and pharmacologic targets of BAT/Beige cells that have been reported to have therapeutic potential to combat obesity will be discussed.

scholarly journals Direct detection of brown adipose tissue thermogenesis in UCP1−/− mice by hyperpolarized 129Xe MR thermometry

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Antonacci ◽  
Christian McHugh ◽  
Michele Kelley ◽  
Andrew McCallister ◽  
Simone Degan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Knockout Mice ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Uncoupling Protein ◽  
Core Body Temperature ◽  
Physiological Effect ◽  
Adrenergic Stimulation ◽  
Brown Adipose ◽  
Shivering Thermogenesis

Abstract Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a type of fat specialized in non-shivering thermogenesis. While non-shivering thermogenesis is mediated primarily by uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), the development of the UCP1 knockout mouse has enabled the study of possible UCP1-independent non-shivering thermogenic mechanisms, whose existence has been shown so far only indirectly in white adipose tissue and still continues to be a matter of debate in BAT. In this study, by using magnetic resonance thermometry with hyperpolarized xenon, we produce the first direct evidence of UCP1-independent BAT thermogenesis in knockout mice. We found that, following adrenergic stimulation, the BAT temperature of knockout mice increases more and faster than rectal temperature. While with this study we cannot exclude or separate the physiological effect of norepinephrine on core body temperature, the fast increase of iBAT temperature seems to suggest the existence of a possible UCP1-independent thermogenic mechanism responsible for this temperature increase.

Adrenergically stimulated blood flow in brown adipose tissue is not dependent on thermogenesis

2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (9) ◽  
pp. E822-E829 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustavo Abreu-Vieira ◽  
Carolina E. Hagberg ◽  
Kirsty L. Spalding ◽  
Barbara Cannon ◽  
Jan Nedergaard
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Uncoupling Protein ◽  
Temperature Acclimation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Doppler Imaging ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Brown Adipose

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis relies on blood flow to be supplied with nutrients and oxygen and for the distribution of the generated heat to the rest of the body. Therefore, it is fundamental to understand the mechanisms by which blood flow is regulated and its relation to thermogenesis. Here, we present high-resolution laser-Doppler imaging (HR-LDR) as a novel method for noninvasive in vivo measurement of BAT blood flow in mice. Using HR-LDR, we found that norepinephrine stimulation increases BAT blood flow in a dose-dependent manner and that this response is profoundly modulated by environmental temperature acclimation. Surprisingly, we found that mice lacking uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) have fully preserved BAT blood flow response to norepinephrine despite failing to perform thermogenesis. BAT blood flow was not directly correlated to systemic glycemia, but glucose injections could transiently increase tissue perfusion. Inguinal white adipose tissue, also known as a brite/beige adipose tissue, was also sensitive to cold acclimation and similarly increased blood flow in response to norepinephrine. In conclusion, using a novel noninvasive method to detect BAT perfusion, we demonstrate that adrenergically stimulated BAT blood flow is qualitatively and quantitatively fully independent of thermogenesis, and therefore, it is not a reliable parameter for the estimation of BAT activation and heat generation.

Corticosterone inhibits uncoupling protein gene expression in brown adipose tissue

1993 ◽  
Vol 265 (1) ◽  
pp. E81-E87 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Moriscot ◽  
R. Rabelo ◽  
A. C. Bianco
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Uncoupling Protein ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Adrenergic Stimulation ◽  
Brown Adipose ◽  
Adrenalectomized Rats ◽  
Intact Rats

Uncoupling protein (UCP) mRNA levels were studied in the interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) of rats undergoing different manipulations of the adrenal function and BAT adrenergic stimulation. Adrenalectomy did not affect UCP mRNA levels for up to 8 days post-surgery. However, adrenalectomized rats underwent a greater increase in UCP mRNA levels (26%) than intact rats after 4 h of cold exposure. Administration of corticosterone (500 micrograms.100 g body wt-1.day-1 sc) to intact or adrenalectomized rats, kept at 28 degrees C, produced a marked decrease of UCP mitochondrial content and cellular mRNA levels in a time-dependent manner (30% by 12 h and 50% by 24 h). Pretreatment of intact rats with corticosterone virtually abolished the UCP mRNA response to cold and norepinephrine (NE). In contrast, when rats had been preexposed to cold for 96 h, the injection of corticosterone did not affect UCP mRNA. These results show that corticosterone is a powerful inhibitor of UCP gene expression in vivo. Corticosterone inhibits both basal gene expression at thermoneutrality and the response to adrenergic stimulation either by cold or exogenous NE, suggesting a direct action on BAT. The data further suggest that corticosterone inhibits the initial accumulation of UCP mRNA mediated by UCP gene transcription, rather than accelerating the degradation of UCP mRNA.

scholarly journals A 211-bp enhancer of the rat uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) gene controls specific and regulated expression in brown adipose tissue

1998 ◽  
Vol 333 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Marie CASSARD-DOULCIER ◽  
Chantal GELLY ◽  
Frédéric BOUILLAUD ◽  
Daniel RICQUIER
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Transgenic Mice ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Reporter Gene ◽  
Uncoupling Protein ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
Adrenergic Stimulation ◽  
Uncoupling Protein 1 ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Brown Adipose

The uncoupling protein-1 gene is uniquely expressed in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and is positively regulated by cold exposure of animals and the sympathetic nervous system. To analyse the importance of a previously identified 211-bp enhancer [Cassard-Doulcier, Gelly, Fox, Schrementi, Raimbault, Klaus, Forest, Bouillaud and Ricquier (1993) Mol. Endocrinol. 7, 497–506] in the tissue-specific expression of this gene, transgenic mice were generated using the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene as a reporter gene. One out of fourteen lines of the control transgenic mice bearing the Herpes simplex thymidine kinase (TK) promoter expressed weakly the CAT reporter gene in several tissues, whereas the other lines did not express CAT. Eight founders bearing the 211-bp enhancer-TK transgene were obtained. In six lines, no expression of CAT was detected. In one line, the expression of CAT was restricted to BAT. In another line, the expression of CAT was found in BAT and, to a lesser extent, in testis. Moreover, in these lines a marked and specific increase in the expression of the reporter gene in BAT was observed either after exposure of mice to the cold or by treating them with a β-adrenoceptor agonist drug. These results demonstrate that the 211-bp enhancer alone is sufficient to both direct and restrict expression to BAT. This enhancer also mediates the transcriptional response of the gene to β-adrenergic stimulation, although it does not contain conserved cAMP response element.

scholarly journals Brown Adipose Tissue Growth and Development

Scientifica ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Symonds
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
White Adipose Tissue ◽  
Uncoupling Protein ◽  
Tissue Growth ◽  
Brown Fat ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Brown Adipose ◽  
Beige Adipocytes ◽  
Substantial Rise

Brown adipose tissue is uniquely able to rapidly produce large amounts of heat through activation of uncoupling protein (UCP) 1. Maximally stimulated brown fat can produce 300 watts/kg of heat compared to 1 watt/kg in all other tissues. UCP1 is only present in small amounts in the fetus and in precocious mammals, such as sheep and humans; it is rapidly activated around the time of birth following the substantial rise in endocrine stimulatory factors. Brown adipose tissue is then lost and/or replaced with white adipose tissue with age but may still contain small depots of beige adipocytes that have the potential to be reactivated. In humans brown adipose tissue is retained into adulthood, retains the capacity to have a significant role in energy balance, and is currently a primary target organ in obesity prevention strategies. Thermogenesis in brown fat humans is environmentally regulated and can be stimulated by cold exposure and diet, responses that may be further modulated by photoperiod. Increased understanding of the primary factors that regulate both the appearance and the disappearance of UCP1 in early life may therefore enable sustainable strategies in order to prevent excess white adipose tissue deposition through the life cycle.

scholarly journals Seasonal changes in brown adipose tissue mitochondria in a mammalian hibernator: from gene expression to function

2016 ◽  
Vol 311 (2) ◽  
pp. R325-R336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mallory A. Ballinger ◽  
Clair Hess ◽  
Max W. Napolitano ◽  
James A. Bjork ◽  
Matthew T. Andrews
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Uncoupling Protein ◽  
The Body ◽  
Mtdna Copy Number ◽  
Mitochondrial Uncoupling ◽  
Mitochondrial Content ◽  
Mitochondrial Proteome ◽  
Mitochondrial Uncoupling Protein ◽  
Brown Adipose

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a thermogenic organ that is vital for hibernation in mammals. Throughout the hibernation season, BAT mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) enables rapid rewarming from hypothermic torpor to periodic interbout arousals (IBAs), as energy is dissipated as heat. However, BAT's unique ability to rewarm the body via nonshivering thermogenesis is not necessary outside the hibernation season, suggesting a potential seasonal change in the regulation of BAT function. Here, we examined the BAT mitochondrial proteome and mitochondrial bioenergetics in the thirteen-lined ground squirrel ( Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) across four time points: spring, fall, torpor, and IBA. Relative mitochondrial content of BAT was estimated by measuring BAT pad mass, UCP1 protein content, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number. BAT mtDNA content was significantly lower in spring compared with torpor and IBA ( P < 0.05). UCP1 mRNA and protein levels were highest during torpor and IBA. Respiration rates of isolated BAT mitochondria were interrogated at each complex of the electron transport chain. Respiration at complex II was significantly higher in torpor and IBA compared with spring ( P < 0.05), suggesting an enhancement in mitochondrial respiratory capacity during hibernation. Additionally, proteomic iTRAQ labeling identified 778 BAT mitochondrial proteins. Proteins required for mitochondrial lipid translocation and β-oxidation were upregulated during torpor and IBA and downregulated in spring. These data imply that BAT bioenergetics and mitochondrial content are not static across the year, despite the year-round presence of UCP1.

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