Switching on the furnace: Regulation of heat production in brown adipose tissue

Publication date: Available online 5 August 2019Source: Molecular Aspects of MedicineAuthor(s): Li Li, Baoguo Li, Min Li, John R. SpeakmanAbstractEndothermy requires a source of endogenous heat production. In birds, this is derived primarily from shivering, but in mammals it is mostly non-shivering thermogenesis (NST). Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a specialized tissue found in Eutherian mammals that is the source of most NST. Heat production in BAT depends primarily on the activity of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), which decouples transport of protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane from synthesis of ATP. UCP1 and hence heat production of BAT is regulated by many factors. In this paper we discuss the main factors activating UCP1 and increasing heat production. Probably the most well-known activator is the catecholamine norepinephrine (NE) which is released from sympathetic nerve endings and binds to adrenergic receptors that are abundantly expressed on BAT. NE stimulates release of free-fatty acids. It was previously thought that such FFAs were essential for activation of UCP1. However recent work has suggested intracellular lipolysis is not essential and FFAs can be derived from extracellular sources. Thyroid hormones also exert impacts on metabolic rate via effects on brown adipocytes which express type 2 deiodinase. Knocking out DIO2 makes mice cold intolerant. Parathyroid hormone appears to also be a potent regulator of BAT activity and may be an important mediator...
Source: Molecular Aspects of Medicine - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research