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Luijten IHN, Cannon B, Nedergaard J. Glucocorticoids and Brown Adipose Tissue: Do glucocorticoids really inhibit thermogenesis? Mol Aspects Med 2019; 68:42-59. [PMID: 31323252 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A reduction in the thermogenic activity of brown adipose tissue (BAT) is presently discussed as a possible determinant for the development of obesity in humans. One group of endogenous factors that could potentially affect BAT activity is the glucocorticoids (e.g. cortisol). We analyse here studies examining the effects of alterations in glucocorticoid signaling on BAT recruitment and thermogenic capacity. We find that irrespective of which manipulation of glucocorticoid signaling is examined, a seemingly homogeneous picture of lowered thermogenic capacity due to glucocorticoid stimulation is apparently obtained: e.g. lowered uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) protein levels per mg protein, and an increased lipid accumulation in BAT. However, further analyses generally indicate that these effects result from a dilution effect rather than a true decrease in total capacity; the tissue may thus be said to be in a state of pseudo-atrophy. However, under conditions of very low physiological stimulation of BAT, glucocorticoids may truly inhibit Ucp1 gene expression and consequently lower total UCP1 protein levels, but the metabolic effects of this reduction are probably minor. It is thus unlikely that glucocorticoids affect organismal metabolism and induce the development of obesity through alterations of BAT activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ineke H N Luijten
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Barbara Cannon
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Nedergaard
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
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2
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ZHANG J, WU H, MA S, JING F, YU C, GAO L, ZHAO J. Transcription Regulators and Hormones Involved in the Development of Brown Fat and White Fat Browning: Transcriptional and Hormonal Control of Brown/Beige Fat Development. Physiol Res 2018. [DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.933650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The high prevalence of obesity and related metabolic complications has inspired research on adipose tissues. Three kinds of adipose tissues are identified in mammals: brown adipose tissue (BAT), beige or brite adipose tissue and white adipose tissue (WAT). Beige adipocytes share some characteristics with brown adipocytes such as the expression of UCP1. Beige adipocytes can be activated by environmental stimuli or pharmacological treatment, and this change is accompanied by an increase in energy consumption. This process is called white browning, and it facilitates the maintenance of a lean and healthy phenotype. Thus, promoting beige adipocyte development in WAT shows promise as a new strategy in treating obesity and related metabolic consequences. In this review, we summarized the current understanding of the regulators and hormones that participate in the development of brown fat and white fat browning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - J. ZHAO
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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Kroon J, Koorneef LL, van den Heuvel JK, Verzijl CRC, van de Velde NM, Mol IM, Sips HCM, Hunt H, Rensen PCN, Meijer OC. Selective Glucocorticoid Receptor Antagonist CORT125281 Activates Brown Adipose Tissue and Alters Lipid Distribution in Male Mice. Endocrinology 2018; 159:535-546. [PMID: 28938459 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids influence a wide range of metabolic processes in the human body, and excessive glucocorticoid exposure is known to contribute to the development of metabolic disease. We evaluated the utility of the novel glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist CORT125281 for its potential to overcome adiposity, glucose intolerance, and dyslipidemia and compared this head-to-head with the classic GR antagonist RU486 (mifepristone). We show that, although RU486 displays cross-reactivity to the progesterone and androgen receptor, CORT125281 selectively inhibits GR transcriptional activity. In a mouse model for diet-induced obesity, rhythmicity of circulating corticosterone levels was disturbed. CORT125281 restored this disturbed rhythmicity, in contrast to RU486, which further inhibited endogenous corticosterone levels and suppressed adrenal weight. Both CORT125281 and RU486 reduced body weight gain and fat mass. In addition, CORT125281, but not RU486, lowered plasma levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids and strongly stimulated triglyceride-derived fatty acid uptake by brown adipose tissue depots. In combination with reduced lipid content in brown adipocytes, this indicates that CORT125281 enhances metabolic activity of brown adipose tissue depots. CORT125281 was also found to increase liver lipid accumulation. Taken together, CORT125281 displayed a wide range of beneficial metabolic activities that are in part distinct from RU486, but clinical utility may be limited due to liver lipid accumulation. This warrants further evaluation of GR antagonists or selective modulators that are not accompanied by liver lipid accumulation while preserving their beneficial metabolic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Kroon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa L Koorneef
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jose K van den Heuvel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Cristy R C Verzijl
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Nienke M van de Velde
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Isabel M Mol
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hetty C M Sips
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hazel Hunt
- Corcept Therapeutics, Menlo Park, California
| | - Patrick C N Rensen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Ramage LE, Akyol M, Fletcher AM, Forsythe J, Nixon M, Carter RN, van Beek EJR, Morton NM, Walker BR, Stimson RH. Glucocorticoids Acutely Increase Brown Adipose Tissue Activity in Humans, Revealing Species-Specific Differences in UCP-1 Regulation. Cell Metab 2016; 24:130-41. [PMID: 27411014 PMCID: PMC4949380 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adult humans presents a new therapeutic target for metabolic disease; however, little is known about the regulation of human BAT. Chronic glucocorticoid excess causes obesity in humans, and glucocorticoids suppress BAT activation in rodents. We tested whether glucocorticoids regulate BAT activity in humans. In vivo, the glucocorticoid prednisolone acutely increased (18)fluorodeoxyglucose uptake by BAT (measured using PET/CT) in lean healthy men during mild cold exposure (16°C-17°C). In addition, prednisolone increased supraclavicular skin temperature (measured using infrared thermography) and energy expenditure during cold, but not warm, exposure in lean subjects. In vitro, glucocorticoids increased isoprenaline-stimulated respiration and UCP-1 in human primary brown adipocytes, but substantially decreased isoprenaline-stimulated respiration and UCP-1 in primary murine brown and beige adipocytes. The highly species-specific regulation of BAT function by glucocorticoids may have important implications for the translation of novel treatments to activate BAT to improve metabolic health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne E Ramage
- British Heart Foundation/University Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK
| | - Murat Akyol
- Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SA, Scotland, UK
| | - Alison M Fletcher
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK
| | - John Forsythe
- Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SA, Scotland, UK
| | - Mark Nixon
- British Heart Foundation/University Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK
| | - Roderick N Carter
- British Heart Foundation/University Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK
| | - Edwin J R van Beek
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK
| | - Nicholas M Morton
- British Heart Foundation/University Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK
| | - Brian R Walker
- British Heart Foundation/University Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK
| | - Roland H Stimson
- British Heart Foundation/University Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK.
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van den Heuvel JK, Boon MR, van Hengel I, Peschier-van der Put E, van Beek L, van Harmelen V, van Dijk KW, Pereira AM, Hunt H, Belanoff JK, Rensen PCN, Meijer OC. Identification of a selective glucocorticoid receptor modulator that prevents both diet-induced obesity and inflammation. Br J Pharmacol 2016; 173:1793-804. [PMID: 26990179 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Revised: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE High-fat diet consumption results in obesity and chronic low-grade inflammation in adipose tissue. Whereas glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonism reduces diet-induced obesity, GR agonism reduces inflammation, the combination of which would be desired in a strategy to combat the metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to assess the beneficial effects of the selective GR modulator C108297 on both diet-induced weight gain and inflammation in mice and to elucidate underlying mechanisms. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Ten-week-old C57Bl/6 J mice were fed a high-fat diet for 4 weeks while being treated with the selective GR modulator C108297, a full GR antagonist (RU486/mifepristone) or vehicle. KEY RESULTS C108297 and, to a lesser extent, mifepristone reduced body weight gain and fat mass. C108297 decreased food and fructose intake and increased lipolysis in white adipose tissue (WAT) and free fatty acid levels in plasma, resulting in decreased fat cell size and increased fatty acid oxidation. Furthermore, C108297 reduced macrophage infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in WAT, as well as in vitro LPS-stimulated TNF-α secretion in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. However, mifepristone also increased energy expenditure, as measured by fully automatic metabolic cages, and enhanced expression of thermogenic markers in energy-combusting brown adipose tissue (BAT) but did not affect inflammation. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS C108297 attenuates obesity by reducing caloric intake and increasing lipolysis and fat oxidation, and in addition attenuates inflammation. These data suggest that selective GR modulation may be a viable strategy for the reduction of diet-induced obesity and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- José K van den Heuvel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mariëtte R Boon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ingmar van Hengel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Emma Peschier-van der Put
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lianne van Beek
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Vanessa van Harmelen
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ko Willems van Dijk
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alberto M Pereira
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hazel Hunt
- Corcept Therapeutics, Menlo Park, California, USA
| | | | - Patrick C N Rensen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Abstract
Clinical cases of glucocorticoid (GC) excess are characterized by increased fat mass and obesity through the accumulation of white adipocytes. The effects of GCs on growth and function of brown adipose tissue are unknown and may contribute to the negative energy balance observed clinically. This study aims to evaluate the effect of GCs on proliferation, differentiation, and metabolic function of brown adipocytes. Human brown adipocytes sourced from supraclavicular fat biopsies were grown in culture and differentiated to mature adipocytes. Human white adipocytes sourced from subcutaneous abdominal fat biopsies were cultured as controls. Effects of dexamethasone on growth, differentiation (UCP1, CIDEA, and PPARGC1A expression), and function (oxygen consumption rate (OCR)) of brown adipocytes were quantified. Dexamethasone (1 μM) significantly stimulated the proliferation of brown preadipocytes and reduced that of white preadipocytes. During differentiation, dexamethasone (at 0.1, 1, and 10 μM) stimulated the expression of UCP1, CIDEA, and PPARGC1A in a concentration-dependent manner and enhanced by fourfold to sixfold the OCR of brown adipocytes. Isoprenaline (100 nM) significantly increased (P<0.05) expression of UCP1 and OCR of brown adipocytes. These effects were significantly reduced (P<0.05) by dexamethasone. Thus, we show that dexamethasone stimulates the proliferation, differentiation, and function of human brown adipocytes but inhibits adrenergic stimulation of the functioning of brown adipocytes. We conclude that GCs exert complex effects on development and function of brown adipocytes. These findings provide strong evidence for an effect of GCs on the biology of human brown adipose tissue (BAT) and for the involvement of the BAT system in the metabolic manifestation of Cushing's syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna L Barclay
- School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hadiya Agada
- School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christina Jang
- School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Micheal Ward
- School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Neil Wetzig
- School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ken K Y Ho
- School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia School of MedicineUniversity of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, AustraliaMater Research InstituteThe University of Queensland at TRI, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Translational Research Institute37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
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