Brown and Beige Adipose Tissue: Therapy for Obesity and Its Comorbidities?

Anny Mulya; John P Kirwan

doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2016.04.010

Brown and Beige Adipose Tissue: Therapy for Obesity and Its Comorbidities?

Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2016 Sep;45(3):605-21. doi: 10.1016/j.ecl.2016.04.010.

Authors

Anny Mulya¹, John P Kirwan²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathobiology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, NE40, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
² Department of Pathobiology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, NE40, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Metabolic Translational Research Center, Endocrine and Metabolism Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. Electronic address: kirwanj@ccf.org.

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are global health problems placing an ever-increasing demand on health care systems. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is present in significant amounts in adults. BAT has potential as a fuel for oxidation and dissipation as heat production, which makes it an attractive target for obesity therapy. BAT activation results in increased energy expenditure via thermogenesis. The role of BAT/beige adipocyte activation on whole body energy homeostasis, body weight management/regulation, and whole body glucose and lipid homeostasis remains unproven. This paper reviews knowledge on brown/beige adipocytes in energy expenditure and how it may impact obesity therapy and its comorbidities.

Keywords: Beige adipose tissue; Brown adipose tissue; Energy expenditure; Lifestyle intervention; Obesity; Thermogenesis; Type 2 diabetes.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adipose Tissue, Beige / physiology*
Adipose Tissue, Brown / physiology*
Comorbidity
Energy Metabolism*
Homeostasis
Humans
Obesity / therapy*
Thermogenesis

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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