title: Brown Adipose Tissue Is Linked to a Distinct Thermoregulatory Response to Mild Cold in People.
abstract: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays an important role in thermoregulation in rodents. Its role in temperature homeostasis in people is less studied. To this end, we recruited 18 men [8 subjects with no/minimal BAT activity (BAT-) and 10 with pronounced BAT activity (BAT+)]. Each volunteer participated in a 6 h, individualized, non-shivering cold exposure protocol. BAT was quantified using positron emission tomography/computed tomography. Body core and skin temperatures were measured using a telemetric pill and wireless thermistors, respectively. Core body temperature decreased during cold exposure in the BAT- group only (-0.34°C, 95% CI: -0.6 to -0.1, p = 0.03), while the cold-induced change in core temperature was significantly different between BAT+ and BAT- subjects (BAT+ vs. BAT-, 0.43°C, 95% CI: 0.20-0.65, p = 0.0014). BAT volume was associated with the cold-induced change in core temperature (p = 0.01) even after adjustment for age and adiposity. Compared to the BAT- group, BAT+ subjects tolerated a lower ambient temperature (BAT-: 20.6 ± 0.3°C vs. BAT+: 19.8 ± 0.3°C, p = 0.035) without shivering. The cold-induced change in core temperature (r = 0.79, p = 0.001) and supraclavicular temperature (r = 0.58, p = 0.014) correlated with BAT volume, suggesting that these non-invasive measures can be potentially used as surrogate markers of BAT when other methods to detect BAT are not available or their use is not warranted. These results demonstrate a physiologically significant role for BAT in thermoregulation in people. This trial has been registered with Clinaltrials.gov: NCT01791114 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01791114).
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children-GalvestonTX, USA; Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University of AthensGreece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chondronikola
authors.affiliation: Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Volpi
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children-GalvestonTX, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Børsheim
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children-GalvestonTX, USA; Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children-GalvestonTX, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Palam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Annamalai
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children-GalvestonTX, USA; Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yfanti
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Research Institute Centre Quebec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Sebastien M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Labbe
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children-GalvestonTX, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hurren
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children-GalvestonTX, USA; Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Malagaris
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Fernardo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cesani
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children-GalvestonTX, USA; Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University of AthensGreece; Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Labros S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Sidossis
keywords: body core temperature; brown adipose tissue; cold exposure; supraclavicular skin temperature; thermoregulation