BAT: a new target for human obesity?
Two types of adipose tissue can be distinguished histologically and functionally: white (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT). Whereas BAT is specialized in the production of heat, WAT stores excess energy as triacylglycerols. BAT is present throughout life in rodents, whereas in humans it was thought to involute rapidly postnatally, having essentially disappeared within the first years after birth. However, positron emission tomography has provided evidence that adults retain metabolically active BAT depots that can be induced in response to cold and sympathetic nervous system activation. These findings together with the recent identification of specific molecular determinants (PRDM16 and BMP7) activating brown adipogenesis highlights BAT as a potential relevant target for pharmacological and gene expression manipulation to combat human obesity.
Frühbeck
Gema
G
Department of Endocrinology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain. gfruhbeck@unav.es
Becerril
Sara
S
Sáinz
Neira
N
Garrastachu
Puy
P
García-Velloso
María José
MJ
D050156:Adipogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 / Q000378:metabolism; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; C525819:BMP7 protein, human; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C416371:PRDM16 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors