title: Brown adipose tissue harbors a distinct sub-population of regulatory T cells.
abstract: Regulatory T (Treg) cells are critical determinants of both immune responses and metabolic control. Here we show that systemic ablation of Treg cells compromised the adaptation of whole-body energy expenditure to cold exposure, correlating with impairment in thermogenic marker gene expression and massive invasion of pro-inflammatory macrophages in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Indeed, BAT harbored a unique sub-set of Treg cells characterized by a unique gene signature. As these Treg cells respond to BAT activation upon cold exposure, this study defines a BAT-specific Treg sub-set with direct implications for the regulation of energy homeostasis in response to environmental stress.
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Division Molecular Metabolic Control, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH) and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Dasa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Medrikova
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Division Molecular Metabolic Control, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH) and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tjeerd P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Sijmonsma
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Division Molecular Metabolic Control, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH) and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sowodniok
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Young Investigator Research Group Immune Tolerance, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Young Investigator Research Group Immune Tolerance, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delacher
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Research, University Clinics Mannheim, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sticht
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Research, University Clinics Mannheim, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gretz
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Division Molecular Metabolic Control, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH) and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute for Diabetes and Cancer IDC, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, and Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schafmeier
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Young Investigator Research Group Immune Tolerance, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feuerer
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Division Molecular Metabolic Control, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH) and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute for Diabetes and Cancer IDC, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, and Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herzig
mesh_terms: D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D055442:Metabolome; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D010641:Phenotype; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism