title: Brown adipose tissue in humans is activated by elevated plasma catecholamines levels and is inversely related to central obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have shown that adult human possess active brown adipose tissue (BAT), which might be important in controlling obesity. It is known that ß-adrenoceptor-UCP1 system regulates BAT in rodent, but its influence in adult humans remains to be shown. The present study is to determine whether BAT activity can be independently stimulated by elevated catecholamines levels in adult human, and whether it is associated with their adiposity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied 14 patients with pheochromocytoma and 14 normal subjects who had performed both ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) and plasma total metanephrine (TMN) measurements during 2007-2010. The BAT detection rate and the mean BAT activity were significantly higher in patients with elevated TMN levels (Group A: 6/8 and 6.7±2.1 SUVmean· g/ml) than patients with normal TMN concentrations (Group B: 0/6 and 0.4±0.04 SUVmean· g/ml) and normal subjects (Group C: 0/14 and 0.4±0.03 SUVmean·g/ml). BAT activities were positively correlated with TMN levels (R = 0.83, p<0.0001) and were inversely related to body mass index (R = -0.47, p = 0.010), visceral fat areas (R = -0.39, p = 0.044), visceral/total fat areas (R = -0.52, p = 0.0043) and waist circumferences (R = -0.43, p = 0.019). Robust regression revealed that TMN (R = 0.81, p<0.0001) and waist circumferences (R = -0.009, p = 0.009) were the two independent predictors of BAT activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brown adipose tissue activity in adult human can be activated by elevated plasma TMN levels, such as in the case of patients with pheochromocytoma, and is negatively associated with central adiposity.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory for Endocrine Tumors and Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of Chinese Health Ministry, Rui-Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Qidi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.forename: Weiqiong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Tingwei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Weiqing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011859:Radiography; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines