title: Gene pathway development in human epicardial adipose tissue during early life.
abstract: Studies in rodents and newborn humans demonstrate the influence of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in temperature control and energy balance and a critical role in the regulation of body weight. Here, we obtained samples of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) from neonates, infants, and children in order to evaluate changes in their transcriptional landscape by applying a systems biology approach. Surprisingly, these analyses revealed that the transition to infancy is a critical stage for changes in the morphology of EAT and is reflected in unique gene expression patterns of a substantial proportion of thermogenic gene transcripts (~10%). Our results also indicated that the pattern of gene expression represents a distinct developmental stage, even after the rebound in abundance of thermogenic genes in later childhood. Using weighted gene coexpression network analyses, we found precise anthropometric-specific correlations with changes in gene expression and the decline of thermogenic capacity within EAT. In addition, these results indicate a sequential order of transcriptional events affecting cellular pathways, which could potentially explain the variation in the amount, or activity, of BAT in adulthood. Together, these results provide a resource to elucidate gene regulatory mechanisms underlying the progressive development of BAT during early life.
authors.affiliation: Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Shalini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ojha
authors.affiliation: Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Hernan P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Fainberg
authors.affiliation: Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pelella
authors.affiliation: Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castellanos
authors.affiliation: Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sean T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Attilio A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Lotto
authors.affiliation: VA Endocrinology and Diabetes Division, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, and Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sacks
authors.affiliation: Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Symonds
authors.affiliation: Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Budge
mesh_terms: D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D038081:Organogenesis; D010496:Pericardium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D022722:Thermogenesis