title: Regulation of brown adipose tissue recruitment, metabolism and thermogenic function by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ.
abstract: Brown adipose tissue contributes importantly to homeothermy and energy balance in rodents due its ability under demand to produce heat through a process denominated nonshivering thermogenesis. Such thermogenic ability of brown adipocytes relies on the activity of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 that, when properly activated, dissipates energy from oxidative metabolism as heat. Brown adipose tissue sympathetic innervation through norepinephrine release not only induces brown adipocyte lipolysis and thermogenesis, but also acts as the major determinant of tissue mass, cellularity and mitochondrial content. Several pieces of evidence gathered over the years indicate that, in addition to tissue sympathetic innervation, the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ plays an important role in regulating the development, metabolism and thermogenic function of brown adipose tissue. Herein we review the main evidence supporting such key role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ to brown fat biology and discuss the future directions of this important area of research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of São Paulo ; São Paulo, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Andressa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bolsoni-Lopes
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine; Faculty of Medicine; and Québec Heart and Lung Institute; Université Laval ; Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deshaies
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics; Institute of Biomedical Sciences; University of São Paulo ; São Paulo, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Festuccia
keywords: brown adipose tissue; peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ; thermogenesis; uncoupling protein 1