Revisiting adipose thermogenesis for delaying aging and age-related diseases: Opportunities and challenges

Stefano Tarantini; Madhan Subramanian; Joshua T Butcher; Andriy Yabluchanskiy; Xinna Li; Richard A Miller; Priya Balasubramanian

doi:10.1016/j.arr.2023.101912

Revisiting adipose thermogenesis for delaying aging and age-related diseases: Opportunities and challenges

Ageing Res Rev. 2023 Jun:87:101912. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101912. Epub 2023 Mar 15.

Authors

Stefano Tarantini¹, Madhan Subramanian², Joshua T Butcher², Andriy Yabluchanskiy¹, Xinna Li³, Richard A Miller³, Priya Balasubramanian⁴

Affiliations

¹ Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Department of Health Promotion Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; The Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
² Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
³ Department of Pathology and Geriatrics Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
⁴ Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; The Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA. Electronic address: priya-balasubramanian@ouhsc.edu.

PMID: 36924940
PMCID: PMC10164698 (available on 2024-06-01)
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101912

Abstract

Adipose tissue undergoes significant changes in structure, composition, and function with age including altered adipokine secretion, decreased adipogenesis, altered immune cell profile and increased inflammation. Considering the role of adipose tissue in whole-body energy homeostasis, age-related dysfunction in adipose metabolism could potentially contribute to an increased risk for metabolic diseases and accelerate the onset of other age-related diseases. Increasing cellular energy expenditure in adipose tissue, also referred to as thermogenesis, has emerged as a promising strategy to improve adipose metabolism and treat obesity-related metabolic disorders. However, translating this strategy to the aged population comes with several challenges such as decreased thermogenic response and the paucity of safe pharmacological agents to activate thermogenesis. This mini-review aims to discuss the current body of knowledge on aging and thermogenesis and highlight the unexplored opportunities (cellular mechanisms and secreted factors) to target thermogenic mechanisms for delaying aging and age-related diseases. Finally, we also discuss the emerging role of thermogenic adipocytes in healthspan and lifespan extension.

Keywords: Adipose metabolism; Aging; Beta-3 adrenergic agonists; Futile metabolic cycling; Healthspan; Thermogenesis; Uncoupling protein 1.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Adipose Tissue, Brown* / metabolism
Aged
Aging
Energy Metabolism / physiology
Humans
Obesity* / metabolism
Thermogenesis / physiology

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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