Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 26, 2025
06:28
Cerenkov Luminescence Imaging of Interscapular Brown Adipose Tissue
Published on: October 7, 2014
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Starving cancer into submission by activating BAT
Mohammed K Hankir1, Annett Hoffmann1, Florian Seyfried1
1Department of General, Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg 97080, Bavaria, Germany.
Cell Metabolism
|October 5, 2022
Summary
Activating brown adipose tissue (BAT) can reduce glucose for cancer cells, potentially slowing tumor growth. This research highlights a new therapeutic strategy for cancer by targeting nutrient metabolism.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic research
- Oncology
- Adipose tissue biology
Background:
- Brown adipose tissue (BAT) generates heat by consuming nutrients.
- Cancer cells rely on circulating nutrients for growth and proliferation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if activating brown adipose tissue can limit glucose availability to cancer cells.
- To determine the potential of BAT activation as a therapeutic strategy for slowing tumor growth.
Main Methods:
- The study by Seki et al. (Nature) explored the metabolic effects of activated BAT.
- Investigated the impact of BAT-mediated nutrient consumption on tumor glucose availability.
Main Results:
- Activated BAT effectively reduces circulating nutrient levels, including glucose.
- This reduction in glucose availability can impede the growth of cancer cells, slowing tumor progression.
Conclusions:
- Activating brown adipose tissue presents a novel approach to cancer therapy.
- Leveraging BAT's metabolic activity offers a potential strategy to control tumor growth by limiting nutrient supply.
![Visualization and Quantification of Brown and Beige Adipose Tissues in Mice using [18F]FDG Micro-PET/MR Imaging](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F62460.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
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