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Ishida Y, Matsushita M, Yoneshiro T, Saito M, Nakayama K. Association between thermogenic brown fat and genes under positive natural selection in circumpolar populations. J Physiol Anthropol 2024; 43:19. [PMID: 39160621 PMCID: PMC11331686 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-024-00368-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adaptation to cold was essential for human migration across Eurasia. Non-shivering thermogenesis through brown adipose tissue (BAT) participates in cold adaptation because some genes involved in the differentiation and function of BAT exhibit signatures of positive natural selection in populations at high latitudes. Whether these genes are associated with the inter-individual variability in BAT thermogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the potential associations between BAT activity and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate gene regions in East Asian populations. METHODS BAT activity induced by mild cold exposure was measured in 399 healthy Japanese men and women using fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography and computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT). The capacity for cold-induced thermogenesis and fat oxidation was measured in 56 men. Association analyses with physiological traits were performed for 11 SNPs at six loci (LEPR, ANGPTL8, PLA2G2A, PLIN1, TBX15-WARS2, and FADS1) reported to be under positive natural selection. Associations found in the FDG-PET/CT population were further validated in 84 healthy East Asian men and women, in whom BAT activity was measured using infrared thermography. Associations between the SNP genotypes and BAT activity or other related traits were tested using multiple logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS Of the 11 putative adaptive alleles of the six genes, two intronic SNPs in LEPR (rs1022981 and rs12405556) tended to be associated with higher BAT activity. However, these did not survive multiple test comparisons. Associations with lower body fat percentage, plasma triglyceride, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels were observed in the FDG-PET/CT population (P < 0.05). Other loci, including TBX15-WARS2, which is speculated to mediate cold adaptation in Greenland Inuits, did not show significant differences in BAT thermogenesis. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest a marginal but significant association between LEPR SNPs. However, robust supporting evidence was not established for the involvement of other loci under positive natural selection in cold adaptation through BAT thermogenesis in East Asian adults. Given the pleiotropic function of these genes, factors other than cold adaptation through BAT thermogenesis, such as diet adaptation, may contribute to positive natural selection at these loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Ishida
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan
| | - Mami Matsushita
- Department of Nutrition, School of Nursing and Nutrition, Tenshi College, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 065-0013, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yoneshiro
- Division of Molecular Physiology and Metabolism, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Masayuki Saito
- Department of Nutrition, School of Nursing and Nutrition, Tenshi College, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 065-0013, Japan
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Nakayama
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan.
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Ishida Y, Matsushita M, Yoneshiro T, Saito M, Fuse S, Hamaoka T, Kuroiwa M, Tanaka R, Kurosawa Y, Nishimura T, Motoi M, Maeda T, Nakayama K. Genetic evidence for involvement of β2-adrenergic receptor in brown adipose tissue thermogenesis in humans. Int J Obes (Lond) 2024; 48:1110-1117. [PMID: 38632325 PMCID: PMC11281906 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-024-01522-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sympathetic activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis can ameliorate obesity and related metabolic abnormalities. However, crucial subtypes of the β-adrenergic receptor (AR), as well as effects of its genetic variants on functions of BAT, remains unclear in humans. We conducted association analyses of genes encoding β-ARs and BAT activity in human adults. METHODS Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in β1-, β2-, and β3-AR genes (ADRB1, ADRB2, and ADRB3) were tested for the association with BAT activity under mild cold exposure (19 °C, 2 h) in 399 healthy Japanese adults. BAT activity was measured using fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography and computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT). To validate the results, we assessed the effects of SNPs in the two independent populations comprising 277 healthy East Asian adults using near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy (NIRTRS) or infrared thermography (IRT). Effects of SNPs on physiological responses to intensive cold exposure were tested in 42 healthy Japanese adult males using an artificial climate chamber. RESULTS We found a significant association between a functional SNP (rs1042718) in ADRB2 and BAT activity assessed with FDG-PET/CT (p < 0.001). This SNP also showed an association with cold-induced thermogenesis in the population subset. Furthermore, the association was replicated in the two other independent populations; BAT activity was evaluated by NIRTRS or IRT (p < 0.05). This SNP did not show associations with oxygen consumption and cold-induced thermogenesis under intensive cold exposure, suggesting the irrelevance of shivering thermogenesis. The SNPs of ADRB1 and ADRB3 were not associated with these BAT-related traits. CONCLUSIONS The present study supports the importance of β2-AR in the sympathetic regulation of BAT thermogenesis in humans. The present collection of DNA samples is the largest to which information on the donor's BAT activity has been assigned and can serve as a reference for further in-depth understanding of human BAT function.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Thermogenesis/physiology
- Thermogenesis/genetics
- Adipose Tissue, Brown/metabolism
- Male
- Adult
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
- Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/genetics
- Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/metabolism
- Female
- Middle Aged
- Japan
- Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
- Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3/genetics
- Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3/metabolism
- Asian People/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Ishida
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan
| | - Mami Matsushita
- Department of Nutrition, School of Nursing and Nutrition, Tenshi College, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 065-0013, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yoneshiro
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan
- Department of Molecular Metabolism and Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Masayuki Saito
- Department of Nutrition, School of Nursing and Nutrition, Tenshi College, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 065-0013, Japan
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Sayuri Fuse
- Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan
| | - Takafumi Hamaoka
- Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan
| | - Miyuki Kuroiwa
- Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan
| | - Riki Tanaka
- Faculty of Sports and Health Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 814-0180, Japan
| | - Yuko Kurosawa
- Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan
| | - Takayuki Nishimura
- Department of Human Life Design and Science, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 815-8540, Japan
- Physiological Anthropology Research Center, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 815-8540, Japan
| | - Midori Motoi
- Department of Human Life Design and Science, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 815-8540, Japan
| | - Takafumi Maeda
- Department of Human Life Design and Science, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 815-8540, Japan
- Physiological Anthropology Research Center, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 815-8540, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Nakayama
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan.
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Iida T, Ueda Y, Tsukada H, Fukumoto D, Hamaoka T. Brown adipose tissue evaluation using water and triglyceride as indices by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2024; 17:e202300183. [PMID: 37885352 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202300183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is related to lipid and glucose metabolism, and BAT evaluation is expected to contribute to disease prevention and treatment. We aimed to establish a BAT evaluation method using simple and non-invasive diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). We acquired diffuse reflectance spectra of BAT using DRS from rats with cold stimulation and analyzed the second-derivative spectra. To predict the amount of triglyceride in BAT from the second-derivative spectra, partial least-squares regression analysis was performed, and we examined whether BAT weight can be predicted from the amount of triglyceride by single regression analysis. By focusing on changes in the amount of triglyceride in BAT with cold stimulation, it was suggested that this amount could be predicted spectroscopically, and the predicted amount of triglyceride could be used to estimate the BAT weight with cold stimulation. If these results can be translated into humans, they may contribute to preventing metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Iida
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Yukio Ueda
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hideo Tsukada
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Dai Fukumoto
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Takafumi Hamaoka
- Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
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Kataoka H, Nirengi S, Matsui Y, Taniguchi H. Fructose-induced FGF21 secretion does not activate brown adipose tissue in Japanese young men: randomized cross-over and randomized controlled trials. J Physiol Anthropol 2024; 43:5. [PMID: 38178259 PMCID: PMC10765626 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-023-00353-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity is associated with lower body fatness and favorable glucose metabolism. Previous studies reported that oral fructose loading induces postprandial fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) secretion. FGF21 is a known inducer of adipose tissue thermogenesis; however, the effects of diet-induced FGF21 secretion on BAT thermogenesis remain to be elucidated. METHODS The effects of both single load and daily consumption of fructose on BAT activity were examined using a randomized cross-over trial and a 2-week randomized controlled trial (RCT), respectively. In the cross-over trial, 15 young men consumed a single dose of fructose solution or water and then consumed the other on a subsequent day. The RCT enrolled 22 young men, and the participants were allocated to a group that consumed fructose and a group that consumed water daily for 2 weeks. BAT activity was analyzed using thermography with cold exposure. Plasma FGF21 level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS In the cross-over single-load trial, plasma FGF21 levels were significantly increased at 2 h after oral fructose load (p < 0.01); however, there was no significant difference in BAT activity between the fructose load and drinking water. The 2-week RCT revealed that both plasma FGF21 levels and BAT activity were not significantly increased by daily fructose consumption compared to water. Correlation analyses revealed that BAT activity at the baseline and the final measurements were strongly and positively associated with the RCT (r = 0.869, p < 0.001). Changes in BAT activity were significantly and negatively correlated with changes in plasma glucose levels during the 2-week intervention (r = - 0.497, p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS Oral fructose load induces a temporary increase in circulating FGF21 levels; however, this does not activate BAT thermogenesis in healthy young men. Further studies are needed to elucidate the effect of endogenous FGF21 on physiological function. TRIAL REGISTRATION This study is registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network in Japan (number 000051761, registered 1 August 2023, retrospectively registered, https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000052680 ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruki Kataoka
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Nirengi
- Clinical Research Institute, Division of Preventive Medicine, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto, Japan
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Yuka Matsui
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Taniguchi
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, Kyoto, Japan.
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Valenzuela PL, Carrera-Bastos P, Castillo-García A, Lieberman DE, Santos-Lozano A, Lucia A. Obesity and the risk of cardiometabolic diseases. Nat Rev Cardiol 2023; 20:475-494. [PMID: 36927772 DOI: 10.1038/s41569-023-00847-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of obesity has reached pandemic proportions, and now approximately 25% of adults in Westernized countries have obesity. Recognized as a major health concern, obesity is associated with multiple comorbidities, particularly cardiometabolic disorders. In this Review, we present obesity as an evolutionarily novel condition, summarize the epidemiological evidence on its detrimental cardiometabolic consequences and discuss the major mechanisms involved in the association between obesity and the risk of cardiometabolic diseases. We also examine the role of potential moderators of this association, with evidence for and against the so-called 'metabolically healthy obesity phenotype', the 'fatness but fitness' paradox or the 'obesity paradox'. Although maintenance of optimal cardiometabolic status should be a primary goal in individuals with obesity, losing body weight and, particularly, excess visceral adiposity seems to be necessary to minimize the risk of cardiometabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro L Valenzuela
- Physical Activity and Health Research Group (PaHerg), Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre ("i + 12"), Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
| | - Pedro Carrera-Bastos
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Daniel E Lieberman
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alejandro Santos-Lozano
- Physical Activity and Health Research Group (PaHerg), Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre ("i + 12"), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Health Sciences, European University Miguel de Cervantes, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Lucia
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- CIBER of Frailty and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES), Madrid, Spain.
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da Rosa SE, Borba Neves E, Martinez EC, de Barros Sena MA, Mello DBD, de Ribeiro Dos Reis VMM. Comparison of brown adipose tissue activation detected by infrared thermography in men with vs without metabolic syndrome. J Therm Biol 2023; 112:103459. [PMID: 36796904 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brown adipose tissue (BAT) high density of mitochondria and its thermogenic characteristics promote the dissipation of chemical energy in the form of heat, increasing body caloric expenditure, decreasing plasma levels of lipids and glucose (GL). This makes BAT a potential therapeutic target of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Position Emission Tomography Scanning (PET-CT) is the gold standard for estimating BAT, but it has several limitations, including high cost and high emission of radiation. On the other hand, Infrared Thermography (IRT) is considered a simpler, cheaper and non-invasive method to detect BAT. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare BAT activation through IRT and cold stimulation in men diagnosed without and with MetS. METHODS Sample of 124 (35.3 ± 9.4 years old) men was evaluated of body composition, anthropometric measurements and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) hemodynamics, biochemical tests and body skin temperature acquisition. The Student t-test with subsequent effect size by (d) Cohen and two-way repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc comparisons were conducted. Level of significance was p < 0.05. RESULTS There was significant interaction between group factor (MetS) vs group moment (BAT activation) in supraclavicular skin temperatures right side (maximum (F(1,122) = 10.4, p < 0.002, η2 = 0.062), mean (F(1.122) = 13.0, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.081) and minimal (F(1,122) = 7.9, p < 0.006, η2 = 0.052)) and left side maximum (F(1,122) = 7.7, p < 0.006, η2 = 0.048), mean (F(1.122) = 13.0, p < 0.037, η2 = 0.007) and minimal (F(1,122) = 9.8, p < 0.002, η2 = 0.012)). The MetS risk factor group didn't present significant increase of SCV temperature BAT after cold stimulation. CONCLUSION Men diagnosed with MetS risk factors seem to activate less BAT, when exposed to cold stimulation, compared to group without MetS risk factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Ezequiel da Rosa
- Researcher in University of Trás-os-Montes Alto Douro (UTAD) Health Superior School, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801, Vila Real CityVila Real, CP: 5000-801, Portugal.
| | - Eduardo Borba Neves
- Researcher in Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR), Av. Sete de Setembro, 3165, Rebouças, CEP 80230-901, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
| | - Eduardo Camilo Martinez
- Researcher in University of Trás-os-Montes Alto Douro (UTAD) Health Superior School, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801, Vila Real CityVila Real, CP: 5000-801, Portugal.
| | - Marcio Antônio de Barros Sena
- Researcher in Brazilian Army Physical Fitness Research Institute (IPCFEx), Avenida João Luis Alves S/n°, Forte São João, Urca, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP:22291-090, Brazil.
| | - Danielli Braga de Mello
- Researcher in Physical Education College of the Brazilian Army (EsEFEx), Avenida João Luis Alves S/n°, Forte São João, Urca, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP:22291-090, Brazil.
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Saito M, Okamatsu-Ogura Y. Thermogenic Brown Fat in Humans: Implications in Energy Homeostasis, Obesity and Metabolic Disorders. World J Mens Health 2023:41.e26. [PMID: 36792089 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.220224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In mammals including humans, there are two types of adipose tissue, white and brown adipose tissues (BATs). White adipose tissue is the primary site of energy storage, while BAT is a specialized tissue for non-shivering thermogenesis to dissipate energy as heat. Although BAT research has long been limited mostly in small rodents, the rediscovery of metabolically active BAT in adult humans has dramatically promoted the translational studies on BAT in health and diseases. It is now established that BAT, through its thermogenic and energy dissipating activities, plays a role in the regulation of body temperature, whole-body energy expenditure, and body fatness. Moreover, increasing evidence has demonstrated that BAT secretes various paracrine and endocrine factors, which influence other peripheral tissues and control systemic metabolic homeostasis, suggesting BAT as a metabolic regulator, other than for thermogenesis. In fact, clinical studies have revealed an association of BAT not only with metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and fatty liver, but also with cardiovascular diseases including hypertension and atherosclerosis. Thus, BAT is an intriguing tissue combating obesity and related metabolic diseases. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on human BAT, focusing its patho-physiological roles in energy homeostasis, obesity and related metabolic disorders. The effects of aging and sex on BAT are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Saito
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
| | - Yuko Okamatsu-Ogura
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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Ocobock C, Soppela P, Turunen M, Stenbäck V, Herzig KH. Brown adipose tissue thermogenesis among a small sample of reindeer herders from sub-Arctic Finland. J Physiol Anthropol 2022; 41:17. [PMID: 35443705 PMCID: PMC9022279 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-022-00290-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Interest in human physiological responses to cold stress have seen a resurgence in recent years with a focus on brown adipose tissue (BAT), a mitochondria dense fat specialized for heat production. However, a majority of the work examining BAT has been conducted among temperate climate populations. Methods To expand our understanding of BAT thermogenesis in a cold climate population, we measured, using indirect calorimetry and thermal imaging, metabolic rate and body surface temperatures of BAT-positive and BAT-negative regions at room temperature, and mild cold exposure of resting participants from a small sample of reindeer herders (N = 22, 6 females) from sub-Arctic Finland. Results We found that most herders experienced a significant mean 8.7% increase in metabolic rates, preferentially metabolized fatty acids, and maintained relatively warmer body surface temperatures at the supraclavicular region (known BAT location) compared to the sternum, which has no associated BAT. These results indicate that the herders in this sample exhibit active BAT thermogenesis in response to mild cold exposure. Conclusions This study adds to the rapidly growing body of work looking at the physiological and thermoregulatory significance of BAT and the important role it may play among cold stressed populations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40101-022-00290-4.
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Yang J, Zhang H, Parhat K, Xu H, Li M, Wang X, Ran C. Molecular Imaging of Brown Adipose Tissue Mass. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179436. [PMID: 34502347 PMCID: PMC8431742 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Brown adipose tissue (BAT), a uniquely thermogenic tissue that plays an important role in metabolism and energy expenditure, has recently become a revived target in the fight against metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Different from white adipose tissue (WAT), the brown adipocytes have distinctive features including multilocular lipid droplets, a large number of mitochondria, and a high expression of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1), as well as abundant capillarity. These histologic characteristics provide an opportunity to differentiate BAT from WAT using imaging modalities, such as PET/CT, SPECT/CT, MRI, NIRF and Ultrasound. However, most of the reported imaging methods were BAT activation dependent, and the imaging signals could be affected by many factors, including environmental temperatures and the states of the sympathetic nervous system. Accurate BAT mass detection methods that are independent of temperature and hormone levels have the capacity to track the development and changes of BAT throughout the lifetime of mammals, and such methods could be very useful for the investigation of potential BAT-related therapies. In this review, we focus on molecular imaging modalities that can detect and quantify BAT mass. In addition, their detection mechanism and limitations will be discussed as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yang
- School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.Z.); (K.P.); (H.X.); (M.L.); (X.W.)
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Room 2301, Building 149, Charlestown, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Correspondence: (J.Y.); (C.R.)
| | - Haili Zhang
- School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.Z.); (K.P.); (H.X.); (M.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Kadirya Parhat
- School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.Z.); (K.P.); (H.X.); (M.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Hui Xu
- School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.Z.); (K.P.); (H.X.); (M.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Mingshuang Li
- School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.Z.); (K.P.); (H.X.); (M.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Xiangyu Wang
- School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.Z.); (K.P.); (H.X.); (M.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Chongzhao Ran
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Room 2301, Building 149, Charlestown, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Correspondence: (J.Y.); (C.R.)
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Pérez DIV, Soto DAS, Barroso JM, Dos Santos DA, Queiroz ACC, Miarka B, Brito CJ, Quintana MS. Physically active men with high brown adipose tissue activity showed increased energy expenditure after caffeine supplementation. J Therm Biol 2021; 99:103000. [PMID: 34420632 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
This study measured the effect of caffeine on brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity and the energy expenditure (EE) of subjects with high (HBAT) or low (LBAT) activation. We performed a quasi-experimental double-blind protocol in which 24 physically active healthy men were measured (age: 24.1 ± 6.0 yrs; BM: 75.3 ± 14.4 kg; HT: 171.8 ± 5.9 cm; BMI: 25.5 ± 4.9 kg/m2). Infrared thermography (IRT) protocol was used to separate the participants into the groups according to the BAT activation: high (HBAT; n = 11) and low (LBAT; n = 13). All participants ingested a single supplement caffeine capsule (CAF) of 375 mg (~5 mg/kg BM) or placebo (PLA). Our experimental protocol measured two groups (HBAT and LBAT) under two conditions (CAF and PLA), with intake 30-min before the data collection. BAT activity lasted 60-min (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 min) and was estimated by IRT in subclavicular (Δ SCV) and external (Δ EXT) regions of interest (ROI) and EE by indirect calorimetry. The main results indicated that HBAT at 40-min showed an increased EE versus the other groups and conditions (p = 0.009). There was a significant difference for BAT activation at the 30 (p = 0.019), 40 (p = 0.009), 50 (p = 0.007) and 60 min (p = 0.012) between HBAT-CAF vs. LBAT-CAF. There was also a significant difference at the 20 (p = 0.024), 30 (p = 0.036), 50 (p = 0.05) and 60 min (p = 0.011) between HBAT-CAF vs. HBAT-PLA. In conclusion CAF intake (≈5 mg) increases the thermogenic activity of BAT in healthy young men and increases EE in HBAT subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Ignacio Valenzuela Pérez
- Escuela de Kinesiología, Facultad de Salud, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile; Magister en Ciencias la Actividad Física y Deportes Aplicadas al Entrenamiento Rehabilitación y Reintegro Deportivo, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile; Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dany Alexis Sobarzo Soto
- Escuela de Kinesiología, Facultad de Salud, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile; Magister en Ciencias la Actividad Física y Deportes Aplicadas al Entrenamiento Rehabilitación y Reintegro Deportivo, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile
| | - Julieta Montañez Barroso
- Magister en Ciencias la Actividad Física y Deportes Aplicadas al Entrenamiento Rehabilitación y Reintegro Deportivo, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile
| | - Diego Alves Dos Santos
- Physical Education Department, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Bianca Miarka
- Laboratory of Psychophysiology and Performance in Sports & Combats, School of Physical Education and Sport, Federal University of Rio De Janeiro, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ciro José Brito
- Physical Education Department, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil.
| | - Manuel Sillero Quintana
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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11
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Piquer-Garcia I, Cereijo R, Corral-Pérez J, Pellitero S, Martínez E, Taxerås SD, Tarascó J, Moreno P, Balibrea J, Puig-Domingo M, Serra D, Herrero L, Jiménez-Pavón D, Lerin C, Villarroya F, Sánchez-Infantes D. Use of Infrared Thermography to Estimate Brown Fat Activation After a Cooling Protocol in Patients with Severe Obesity That Underwent Bariatric Surgery. Obes Surg 2021; 30:2375-2381. [PMID: 32133589 DOI: 10.1007/s11695-020-04502-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In contrast to the energy-storing role of white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT) acts as the main site of non-shivering thermogenesis in mammals and has been reported to play a role in protection against obesity and associated metabolic alterations in rodents. Infrared thermography (IRT) has been proposed as a novel non-invasive, safe, and quick method to estimate BAT thermogenic activation in humans. The aim of this study is to determine whether the IRT could be a potential new tool to estimate BAT thermogenic activation in patients with severe obesity in response to bariatric surgery. METHODS Supraclavicular BAT thermogenic activation was evaluated using IRT in a cohort of 31 patients (50 ± 10 years old, BMI = 44.5 ± 7.8; 15 undergoing laparoscopy sleeve gastrectomy and 16 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) at baseline and 6 months after a bariatric surgery. Clinical parameters were determined at these same time points. RESULTS Supraclavicular BAT-related activity was detected in our patients by IRT after a cooling stimulus. The BAT thermogenic activation was higher at 6 months after laparoscopy sleeve gastrectomy (0.06 ± 0.1 vs 0.32 ± 0.1), while patients undergoing to a roux-en-Y gastric bypass did not change their thermogenic response using the same cooling stimulus (0.09 ± 0.1 vs 0.08 ± 0.1). CONCLUSIONS Our study postulates the IRT as a potential tool to evaluate BAT thermogenic activation in patients with obesity before and after a bariatric surgery. Further studies are needed to evaluate differences between LSG technique and RYGB on BAT activation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rubén Cereijo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, and Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Corral-Pérez
- MOVE-IT Research Group and Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Cádiz, Cadiz, Spain.,Institute of Research and Innovation in Biomedical Sciences of the Province of Cádiz (INiBICA), University of Cádiz, Cadiz, Spain
| | - Silvia Pellitero
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Fisiopatología de la Diabetes y enfermedades metabólicas (CIBERDEM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Martínez
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Siri D Taxerås
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Tarascó
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pau Moreno
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Balibrea
- Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Unit, EAC-BS Center of Excellence, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manel Puig-Domingo
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Fisiopatología de la Diabetes y enfermedades metabólicas (CIBERDEM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dolors Serra
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy, Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB),, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Herrero
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy, Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB),, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Jiménez-Pavón
- MOVE-IT Research Group and Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Cádiz, Cadiz, Spain.,Institute of Research and Innovation in Biomedical Sciences of the Province of Cádiz (INiBICA), University of Cádiz, Cadiz, Spain
| | - Carles Lerin
- Endocrinology department, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Villarroya
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, and Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Sánchez-Infantes
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain. .,Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Campus Can Ruti, Carretera de Can Ruti, Camí de les Escoles s/n, Badalona, 08916, Barcelona, Spain.
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12
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Loeliger RC, Maushart CI, Gashi G, Senn JR, Felder M, Becker AS, Müller J, Balaz M, Wolfrum C, Burger IA, Betz MJ. Relation of diet-induced thermogenesis to brown adipose tissue activity in healthy men. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2021; 320:E93-E101. [PMID: 33225717 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00237.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Human brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a thermogenic tissue activated by the sympathetic nervous system in response to cold exposure. It contributes to energy expenditure (EE) and takes up glucose and lipids from the circulation. Studies in rodents suggest that BAT contributes to the transient rise in EE after food intake, so-called diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT). We investigated the relationship between human BAT activity and DIT in response to glucose intake in 17 healthy volunteers. We assessed DIT, cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT), and maximum BAT activity at three separate study visits within 2 wk. DIT was measured by indirect calorimetry during an oral glucose tolerance test. CIT was assessed as the difference in EE after cold exposure of 2-h duration as compared with warm conditions. Maximal activity of BAT was assessed by 18-F-fluoro-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG) 18F-FDG-PET/MRI after cold exposure and concomitant pharmacological stimulation with mirabegron. Seventeen healthy men (mean age = 23.4 yr, mean body mass index = 23.2 kg/m2) participated in the study. EE increased from 1,908 (±181) kcal/24 h to 2,128 (±277) kcal/24 h (P < 0.0001, +11.5%) after mild cold exposure. An oral glucose load increased EE from 1,911 (±165) kcal/24 h to 2,096 (±167) kcal/24 h at 60 min (P < 0.0001, +9.7%). The increase in EE in response to cold was significantly associated with BAT activity (R2 = 0.43, P = 0.004). However, DIT was not associated with BAT activity (R2 = 0.015, P = 0.64). DIT after an oral glucose load was not associated with stimulated 18F-FDG uptake into BAT, suggesting that DIT is independent from BAT activity in humans (Clinicaltrials.gov Registration No. NCT03189511).NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT) was related to BAT activity as determined by FDG-PET/MRI after stimulation of BAT. Diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT) was not related to stimulated BAT activity. Supraclavicular skin temperature was related to CIT but not to DIT. DIT in humans is probably not a function of BAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahel Catherina Loeliger
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Irene Maushart
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gani Gashi
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jaël Rut Senn
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martina Felder
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anton S Becker
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Julian Müller
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Miroslav Balaz
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Christian Wolfrum
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Irene A Burger
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Johannes Betz
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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13
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Bjerkreim BA, Hammerstad SS, Gulseth HL, Berg TJ, Lee-Ødegård S, Rangberg A, Jonassen CM, Budge H, Morris D, Law J, Symonds M, Eriksen EF. Effect of Liothyronine Treatment on Dermal Temperature and Activation of Brown Adipose Tissue in Female Hypothyroid Patients: A Randomized Crossover Study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:785175. [PMID: 34867829 PMCID: PMC8639573 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.785175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thyroid hormones are essential for the full thermogenic response of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and have been implicated in dermal temperature regulation. Nevertheless, persistent cold-intolerance exists among a substantial proportion of hypothyroid patients on adequate levothyroxine (LT4) substitution. MATERIALS AND METHODS To assess if skin temperature and activation of BAT during treatment with liothyronine (LT3) differs from that of LT4 treatment, fifty-nine female hypothyroid patients with residual symptoms on LT4 or LT4/LT3 combination therapy were randomly assigned in a non-blinded crossover study to receive monotherapy with LT4 or LT3 for 12 weeks each. Change in supraclavicular (SCV) skin temperature overlying BAT, and sternal skin temperature not overlying BAT, during rest and cold stimulation were assessed by infrared thermography (IRT). In addition, abundance of exosomal miR-92a, a biomarker of BAT activation, was estimated as a secondary outcome. RESULTS Cold stimulated skin temperatures decreased less with LT3 vs. LT4 in both SCV (mean 0.009°C/min [95% CI: 0.004, 0.014]; P<0.001) and sternal areas (mean 0.014°C/min [95% CI: 0.008, 0.020]; P<0.001). No difference in serum exosomal miR-92a abundance was observed between the two treatment groups. CONCLUSION LT3 may reduce dermal heat loss. Thermography data suggested increased BAT activation in hypothyroid patients with cold-intolerance. However, this finding was not corroborated by assessment of the microRNA biomarker of BAT activation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03627611.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty Ann Bjerkreim
- Department of Endocrinology, Morbid Obesity and Preventive Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- *Correspondence: Betty Ann Bjerkreim,
| | - Sara Salehi Hammerstad
- Endocrinology, Pilestredet Park Specialist Center, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Pediatrics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hanne Løvdal Gulseth
- Department of Chronic Diseases and Ageing, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tore Julsrud Berg
- Department of Endocrinology, Morbid Obesity and Preventive Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Anbjørg Rangberg
- Center for Laboratory Medicine, Østfold Hospital Trust, Grålum, Norway
| | - Christine Monceyron Jonassen
- Center for Laboratory Medicine, Østfold Hospital Trust, Grålum, Norway
- Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Helen Budge
- Academic Child Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - David Morris
- Bioengineering Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - James Law
- Academic Child Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Symonds
- Academic Child Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Nottingham Digestive Disease Centre and Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Erik Fink Eriksen
- Endocrinology, Pilestredet Park Specialist Center, Oslo, Norway
- The Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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14
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Matsushita M, Nirengi S, Hibi M, Wakabayashi H, Lee SI, Domichi M, Sakane N, Saito M. Diurnal variations of brown fat thermogenesis and fat oxidation in humans. Int J Obes (Lond) 2021; 45:2499-2505. [PMID: 34341470 PMCID: PMC8528701 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-021-00927-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Disturbed circadian rhythm is associated with an increased risk of obesity and metabolic disorders. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a site of nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) and plays a role in regulating whole-body energy expenditure (EE), substrate metabolism, and body fatness. In this study, we examined diurnal variations of NST in healthy humans by focusing on their relation to BAT activity. METHODS Forty-four healthy men underwent 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography and were divided into Low-BAT and High-BAT groups. In STUDY 1, EE, diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), and fat oxidation (FO) were measured using a whole-room indirect calorimeter at 27 °C. In STUDY 2, EE, FO, and skin temperature in the region close to BAT depots (Tscv) and in the control region (Tc) were measured at 27 °C and after 90 min cold exposure at 19 °C in the morning and in the evening. RESULTS In STUDY 1, DIT and FO after breakfast was higher in the High-BAT group than in the Low-BAT group (P < 0.05), whereas those after dinner were comparable in the two groups. FO in the High-BAT group was higher after breakfast than after dinner (P < 0.01). In STUDY 2, cold-induced increases in EE (CIT), FO, and Tscv relative to Tc in the morning were higher in the High-BAT group than in the Low-BAT group (P < 0.05), whereas those after dinner were comparable in the two groups. CIT in the High-BAT group tended to be higher in the morning than in the evening (P = 0.056). CONCLUSION BAT-associated NST and FO were evident in the morning, but not in the evening, suggesting that the activity of human BAT is higher in the morning than in the evening, and thus may be involved in the association of an eating habit of breakfast skipping with obesity and related metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mami Matsushita
- grid.444713.10000 0004 0596 0895Department of Nutrition, Tenshi College, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Nirengi
- grid.410835.bDivision of Preventive Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masanobu Hibi
- grid.419719.30000 0001 0816 944XBiological Science Research Laboratories, Kao Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Wakabayashi
- grid.39158.360000 0001 2173 7691Laboratory of Environmental Ergonomics, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Sang-il Lee
- grid.39158.360000 0001 2173 7691Laboratory of Environmental Ergonomics, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Domichi
- grid.410835.bDivision of Preventive Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Naoki Sakane
- grid.410835.bDivision of Preventive Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masayuki Saito
- grid.444713.10000 0004 0596 0895Department of Nutrition, Tenshi College, Sapporo, Japan ,grid.39158.360000 0001 2173 7691Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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15
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Functional characterization of human brown adipose tissue metabolism. Biochem J 2020; 477:1261-1286. [PMID: 32271883 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20190464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has long been described according to its histological features as a multilocular, lipid-containing tissue, light brown in color, that is also responsive to the cold and found especially in hibernating mammals and human infants. Its presence in both hibernators and human infants, combined with its function as a heat-generating organ, raised many questions about its role in humans. Early characterizations of the tissue in humans focused on its progressive atrophy with age and its apparent importance for cold-exposed workers. However, the use of positron emission tomography (PET) with the glucose tracer [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) made it possible to begin characterizing the possible function of BAT in adult humans, and whether it could play a role in the prevention or treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This review focuses on the in vivo functional characterization of human BAT, the methodological approaches applied to examine these features and addresses critical gaps that remain in moving the field forward. Specifically, we describe the anatomical and biomolecular features of human BAT, the modalities and applications of non-invasive tools such as PET and magnetic resonance imaging coupled with spectroscopy (MRI/MRS) to study BAT morphology and function in vivo, and finally describe the functional characteristics of human BAT that have only been possible through the development and application of such tools.
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16
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Multiorgan contribution to non-shivering and shivering thermogenesis and vascular responses during gradual cold exposure in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 2020; 120:2737-2747. [PMID: 32948898 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-020-04496-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Human brown adipose tissue (BAT) is known to be a significant thermoeffector in non-shivering thermogenesis (NST), albeit with individual variations in the BAT activity. We hypothesized that humans with less BAT would have more contribution from the skeletal muscle (SM) to NST or earlier shivering onset and greater vasoconstriction to compensate for less BAT-mediated thermogenesis. METHODS Eighteen males participated in this study. Their BAT activity and detectable volume were investigated. A gradual cold exposure was conducted for inducing NST at 18.6 °C and initiating shivering at 11.6 °C. The energy expenditure, electromyograph of the pectoralis major, skin blood flow, and rectal (Tre) and skin temperatures were evaluated. RESULTS BAT volume significantly correlated with the change in metabolic heat production during mild cold phase relative to baseline (NST; r = 0.562, P < 0.05), but not with shivering initiation phase (NST+ ST). SM mass correlated with baseline metabolic heat production (Mbase; r = 0.839, P < 0.01) but not with NST or NST + ST. A positive correlation was noted between BAT volume and Tre at the end of the 18.6 °C exposure period (r = 0.586, P < 0.05), which positively correlated with shivering onset time (r = 0.553, P < 0.05). The skin blood flow, mean skin temperature, and forearm and finger skin temperature difference at the end of the 18.6 °C exposure period did not correlate with NST or BAT volume. CONCLUSION BAT volume positively correlated with NST. Notably, lower Tre in individuals with less BAT volume induced earlier shivering onset for offsetting the less NST. Whereas, no correlation between metabolic and vasomotor responses was observed.
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17
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Effects of beta-conglycinin intake on circulating FGF21 levels and brown adipose tissue activity in Japanese young men: a single intake study and a randomized controlled trial. J Physiol Anthropol 2020; 39:17. [PMID: 32698903 PMCID: PMC7374846 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-020-00226-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity has beneficial effects on body composition and glucose metabolism. A previous study reported that beta-conglycinin intake induced postprandial fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) secretion, thereby promoting adipose tissue thermogenesis in mice. Since it has not been evaluated whether beta-conglycinin intake is associated with induced FGF21 secretion and BAT thermogenesis in humans, the current study examined the effects of beta-conglycinin intake on circulating FGF21 level and BAT activity. METHODS Twenty-two healthy young male subjects participated. This study consisted of 2 interventional studies. In one of them, the effects of single beta-conglycinin intake at thermoneutral temperature on circulating FGF21 levels were examined (n = 7). The other study was a single-blinded randomized crossover trial of 2 weeks (n = 14). The subjects were exposed to mild cold conditions using a climatic chamber, and BAT activity was analyzed using thermography. Serum FGF21 level was determined by ELISA in these studies. RESULTS In the single intake study, serum FGF21 level was the highest before beta-conglycinin intake and gradually and significantly decreased throughout the 2-h experimental period (P < 0.05). The randomized crossover trial showed that 2-week beta-conglycinin intake did not affect serum FGF21 level and BAT activity, whereas changes (Δ) in baseline levels of serum FGF21 were positively correlated with Δ BAT activity (P < 0.05). In addition, analysis of each group revealed that there was significant correlation between the Δ serum FGF21 level and Δ BAT activity in the beta-conglycinin group (P < 0.05), but not in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals that although serum FGF21 levels are not increased by a single or short-term intake of beta-conglycinin, the Δ basal FGF21 level is associated with Δ BAT activity. These results suggest that human FGF21 responsiveness is different from that of rodents and support the importance of FGF21 in human BAT thermogenesis. TRIAL REGISTRATION This study is registered with University Hospital Medical Information Network in Japan (number 000038723, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000043942 ).
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18
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Brasil S, Renck AC, de Meneck F, Brioschi ML, Costa EF, Teixeira MJ. A systematic review on the role of infrared thermography in the Brown adipose tissue assessment. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2020; 21:37-44. [PMID: 31965434 DOI: 10.1007/s11154-020-09539-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is an endocrine adipose tissue with attributes to dissipate energy as heat in response to changes in temperature and diet. Infrared thermography (IRT) has been studied in recent years in the assessment of BAT thermogenesis, as an option to positron emission tomography - computed tomography (PET-CT), because of several advantages. We performed a systematic review on the use of IRT in BAT assessment. Comprehensive online search was performed in different databases. The QUADAS 2 tool was used to evaluate studies' quality. 12 studies fit the inclusion criteria, whereas only one of these was considered of low risk of bias. 10 studies were favorable to IRT appliance in BAT evaluation, observing elevation of supraclavicular skin temperature correlated with BAT activity. Studies were heterogeneous in design, and a meta-analysis was precluded. Further studies with similar methodologies are needed. Conclusion: Despite the large number of published methodologies, IRT is a promising method for detecting BAT activation. Current knowledge already allows a better understanding of thermography to improve and standardize the technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sérgio Brasil
- Division of Neurological Surgery. Hospital das Clínicas, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Alessandra C Renck
- Department of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Franciele de Meneck
- Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcos L Brioschi
- Division of Neurological Surgery. Hospital das Clínicas, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Elaine F Costa
- Department of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Manoel J Teixeira
- Division of Neurological Surgery. Hospital das Clínicas, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Vidal P, Stanford KI. Exercise-Induced Adaptations to Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:270. [PMID: 32411099 PMCID: PMC7201000 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Exercise training results in beneficial adaptations to numerous tissues and offers protection against metabolic disorders including obesity and type 2 diabetes. Multiple studies have indicated that both white (WAT) and brown (BAT) adipose tissue may play an important role to mediate the beneficial effects of exercise. Studies from both rodents and humans have identified exercise-induced changes in WAT including increased mitochondrial activity and glucose uptake, an altered endocrine profile, and in rodents, a beiging of the WAT. Studies investigating the effects of exercise on BAT have resulted in conflicting data in terms of mitochondrial activity, glucose uptake, and thermogenic activity in rodents and humans, and remain an important area of investigation. This review discusses the exercise-induced adaptations to white and brown adipose tissue, distinguishing important differences between rodents and humans and highlighting the latest studies in the field and their implications.
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20
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Pan R, Zhu X, Maretich P, Chen Y. Metabolic Improvement via Enhancing Thermogenic Fat-Mediated Non-shivering Thermogenesis: From Rodents to Humans. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:633. [PMID: 33013706 PMCID: PMC7511774 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Brown and beige adipose tissues play a large role in non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) in mammals, and subsequently have been studied for decades as potential therapeutic targets to treat obesity and its related metabolic diseases. However, the mechanistic regulation of brown/beige adipose tissue induction and maintenance in humans is very limited due to the ethical reasons. In fact, metabolic signaling has primarily been investigated using rodent models. A better understanding of non-shivering thermogenesis in humans is thus vital and urgent in order to treat obesity by targeting human brown adipose tissue (BAT). In this review, we summarize the anatomical and physiological differences between rodent and human BAT, current useful and mostly non-invasive methods in studying human BAT, as well as recent advancements targeting thermogenic adipocytes as a means to combat metabolic diseases in humans. Furthermore, we also discuss several novel relevant strategies of therapeutic interventions, which has been attempted in rodent experiments, and possible future investigations in humans in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruping Pan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaohua Zhu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Pema Maretich
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Yong Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, Internal Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Yong Chen
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