Brown Adipose Tissue Activation Is Linked to Distinct Systemic Effects on Lipid Metabolism in Humans

Maria Chondronikola; Elena Volpi; Elisabet Børsheim; Craig Porter; Manish K Saraf; Palam Annamalai; Christina Yfanti; Tony Chao; Daniel Wong; Kosaku Shinoda; Sebastien M Labbė; Nicholas M Hurren; Fernardo Cesani; Shingo Kajimura; Labros S Sidossis

doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2016.04.029

Brown Adipose Tissue Activation Is Linked to Distinct Systemic Effects on Lipid Metabolism in Humans

Cell Metab. 2016 Jun 14;23(6):1200-1206. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.04.029. Epub 2016 May 26.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University of Athens, Athens 176 71, Greece.
² Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
³ Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
⁴ Department of Interventional Radiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
⁵ Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
⁶ Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
⁷ Diabetes Center, Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, and Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
⁸ Quebec Heart and Lung Research Institute Centre, Quebec City, Quebec G1V 4G5, Canada.
⁹ Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0177, USA.
¹⁰ Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University of Athens, Athens 176 71, Greece; Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Exercise Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. Electronic address: lss133@rci.rutgers.edu.

Abstract

Recent studies suggest that brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a role in energy and glucose metabolism in humans. However, the physiological significance of human BAT in lipid metabolism remains unknown. We studied 16 overweight/obese men during prolonged, non-shivering cold and thermoneutral conditions using stable isotopic tracer methodologies in conjunction with hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps and BAT and white adipose tissue (WAT) biopsies. BAT volume was significantly associated with increased whole-body lipolysis, triglyceride-free fatty acid (FFA) cycling, FFA oxidation, and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity. Functional analysis of BAT and WAT demonstrated the greater thermogenic capacity of BAT compared to WAT, while molecular analysis revealed a cold-induced upregulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism only in BAT. The accelerated mobilization and oxidation of lipids upon BAT activation supports a putative role for BAT in the regulation of lipid metabolism in humans.

Publication types

Clinical Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Adipose Tissue, Brown / drug effects
Adipose Tissue, Brown / metabolism*
Cold Temperature
Humans
Insulin / pharmacology
Kinetics
Linear Models
Lipid Metabolism* / drug effects
Lipids / blood
Lipoproteins / blood
Male
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Oxidation-Reduction / drug effects

Substances

Insulin
Lipids
Lipoproteins

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding