Estradiol and brown fat

Ovarian steroids, such as estradiol (E2), control a vastness of physiological processes, such as puberty, reproduction, growth, development and metabolic rate. In fact, physiological, pathological, pharmacological or genetically-induced estrogen deficiency causes increased appetite and reduced energy expenditure, promoting weight gain and ultimately leading to obesity. Remarkably, estrogen replacement reverts those effects. Interestingly, although a wealth of evidence has shown that E2 can directly modulate peripheral tissues to exert their metabolic actions, novel data gathered in recent years have shown that those effects are mainly central and occur in the hypothalamus. Here, we will review what is known about the actions of E2 on energy homeostasis, with particular focus on brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis.