Molecular determinants of brown adipocyte formation and function.
Humans contain essentially two types of adipose tissue: brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT). The function of WAT is to store fat while that of BAT is to burn fat for heat production. A potential strategy to combat obesity and its related disorders is to induce the conversion of WAT into BAT. In this issue of Genes & Development, Kajimura and colleagues (pp. 1397-1409) have identified a mechanism by which PRDM16, the principal regulator of brown adipocyte formation and function, can simultaneously induce BAT gene expression, while suppressing WAT gene expression. The studies suggest that PRDM16 and its associated coregulators PPARgamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) and C-terminal-binding protein 1/2 (CtBP1/2), which control the switch from WAT to BAT, are potential targets for development of obesity-related therapeutics.
Farmer
Stephen R
SR
Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
D052437:Adipocytes, Brown / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D047495:PPAR gamma; C416371:PRDM16 protein, human; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D014157:Transcription Factors