An insight into brown/beige adipose tissue whitening, a metabolic complication of obesity with the multifactorial origin

Khanyisani Ziqubu; Phiwayinkosi V Dludla; Sinenhlanhla X H Mthembu; Bongani B Nkambule; Sihle E Mabhida; Babalwa U Jack; Tawanda M Nyambuya; Sithandiwe E Mazibuko-Mbeje

doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1114767

An insight into brown/beige adipose tissue whitening, a metabolic complication of obesity with the multifactorial origin

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Feb 16:14:1114767. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1114767. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Khanyisani Ziqubu¹, Phiwayinkosi V Dludla^{2

3}, Sinenhlanhla X H Mthembu^{1

2}, Bongani B Nkambule⁴, Sihle E Mabhida², Babalwa U Jack², Tawanda M Nyambuya⁵, Sithandiwe E Mazibuko-Mbeje¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa.
² Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa.
³ Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa.
⁴ School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
⁵ Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek, Namibia.

Abstract

Brown adipose tissue (BAT), a thermoregulatory organ known to promote energy expenditure, has been extensively studied as a potential avenue to combat obesity. Although BAT is the opposite of white adipose tissue (WAT) which is responsible for energy storage, BAT shares thermogenic capacity with beige adipose tissue that emerges from WAT depots. This is unsurprising as both BAT and beige adipose tissue display a huge difference from WAT in terms of their secretory profile and physiological role. In obesity, the content of BAT and beige adipose tissue declines as these tissues acquire the WAT characteristics via the process called "whitening". This process has been rarely explored for its implication in obesity, whether it contributes to or exacerbates obesity. Emerging research has demonstrated that BAT/beige adipose tissue whitening is a sophisticated metabolic complication of obesity that is linked to multiple factors. The current review provides clarification on the influence of various factors such as diet, age, genetics, thermoneutrality, and chemical exposure on BAT/beige adipose tissue whitening. Moreover, the defects and mechanisms that underpin the whitening are described. Notably, the BAT/beige adipose tissue whitening can be marked by the accumulation of large unilocular lipid droplets, mitochondrial degeneration, and collapsed thermogenic capacity, by the virtue of mitochondrial dysfunction, devascularization, autophagy, and inflammation.

Keywords: beige adipose tissue; brown adipose tissue; metabolic complications; obesity; whitening.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adipose Tissue, Beige*
Biological Transport
Body Temperature Regulation
Energy Metabolism
Humans
Obesity*

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Support for NRF rated scientist 113674 to Sithandiwe E. Mazibuko-Mbeje. Funding from North-West University is also acknowledged. The work reported herein was made possible through funding by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) through its Division of Research of Capacity Development under the Early Investigators Programme from the South African National Treasury (funding number: HDID8682/MB2022/EIP052). Baseline funding from the Northwest University is also acknowledged. The content hereof is the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the SAMRC. Also, all the content expressed in this review is the official views of the authors and do not represent that of the North-West University.