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Visualization and Quantification of Brown and Beige Adipose Tissues in Mice using [18F]FDG Micro-PET/MR Imaging
Published on: July 1, 2021
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UCP1 in brite/beige adipose tissue mitochondria is functionally thermogenic
Irina G Shabalina1, Natasa Petrovic1, Jasper M A de Jong1
1Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
Cell Reports
|December 3, 2013
Summary
White fat browning shows increased UCP1 protein, enabling thermogenesis. However, classical brown fat depots still dominate overall energy expenditure, suggesting limited impact on obesity.
Area of Science:
- Adipose tissue biology
- Mitochondrial function
- Thermogenesis
Background:
- White fat browning involves UCP1 gene expression, potentially conferring thermogenic properties.
- The metabolic significance of UCP1 protein in browning white adipose tissue remains unclear.
- Investigating UCP1 functionality in white adipose tissue is crucial for understanding energy balance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if UCP1 protein in browning white adipose tissue is thermogenically functional.
- To compare the thermogenic capacity of white adipose tissue with classical brown adipose tissue.
- To assess the influence of obesity-prone and obesity-resistant mouse strains on thermogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of mitochondria from inguinal white adipose tissue of cold-acclimated mice.
- Assessment of UCP1 protein levels and thermogenic activity using lipid and carbohydrate substrates.
- Evaluation of thermogenesis in UCP1 knockout mice and comparison between different mouse strains.
- Quantification of thermogenic density and contribution of inguinal white adipose tissue versus brown adipose tissue.
Main Results:
- UCP1 protein levels in inguinal white adipose tissue mitochondria approached those in brown fat mitochondria.
- UCP1-dependent thermogenesis was confirmed in white adipose tissue mitochondria, sensitive to GDP and absent in UCP1 KO mice.
- Obesogenic mouse strains exhibited lower thermogenic potential compared to obesity-resistant strains.
- Inguinal white adipose tissue's thermogenic density was significantly lower than brown adipose tissue, contributing less overall.
Conclusions:
- UCP1 protein in browning white adipose tissue is thermogenically functional.
- Despite functional UCP1, white adipose tissue contributes less to thermogenesis than classical brown adipose tissue.
- Brown adipose tissue remains the primary site for thermogenesis, with implications for metabolic health and obesity research.
