Physiological concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate do not promote adipocyte browning

Previous work has demonstrated that ketogenic diets promote white fat browning; however, the exact mechanisms underlying this phenomenom have yet to be elucidated. Recently, an in vitro study showed that supraphysiological concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) had a strong influence on the induction of adipocyte browning. On the other hand, concentrations in the physiological range, achieved through ketogenic diets and prolonged fasting produce values of 1-3 mM and 4-7 mM, respectively. Herein, we investigated the impact of physiological concentrations of βHB on metabolism, and the expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and other browning markers in adipose tissues.

The effects of βHB on adipocyte browning were investigated in vitro, using primary cultures of isolated visceral and subcutaneous fat cells and cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and in vivo.

It was determined that βHB failed to induce changes in the oxidative capacity, citrate synthase activity or browning gene expression patterns in isolated adipocytes, and did not exert a permissive effect on β-adrenergic agonist-induced browning. In addition, 3T3-L1 adipocytes differentiated following βHB treatment exhibited downregulated Ucp1 expression levels, a result that was recapitulated in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of Wistar rats after βHB salt treatment. Rats administered βHB salts also presented reduced brown adipose tissue UCP1 protein expression.

The mechanisms underlying ketogenic diet-induced browning of adipocytes are not known. The results from the present study indicate that physiological concentrations of βHB are not responsible for this phenomenon, despite the observed βHB-mediated downregulation of UCP1 expression.