The presence of UCP1 demonstrates that metabolically active adipose tissue in the neck of adult humans truly represents brown adipose tissue

By M. C. Zingaretti, F. Crosta, Alessandra Vitali, M. Guerrieri, A. Frontini, B. Cannon, J. Nedergaard, S. Cinti. The FASEB Journal, 2009

732 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Classically, adult humans have been considered not to possess active brown adipose tissue (BAT). However, positron‐emission‐tomography has shown fluorodeoxyglucose uptake that is distributed in such a way (e.g., in the neck) that it would seem to be BAT. Until now this has not been supported by direct evidence that these areas truly represented BAT, that is, the presence of the BAT‐unique uncoupling protein‐1 (UCP1). Samples of adipose tissue from the neck of 35 patients undergoing surgery for thyroid diseases were obtained and analyzed. In 1/3 of the subjects (the younger and leaner), distinct islands composed of UCP1 immunoreactive brown adipocytes could clearly be discerned, accounting for up to 1/3 of all adipocytes. The brown‐adipose islands were richlysympathetically innervated (indicating acute central control); adjacent white adipose areas were not. The capillary density was high, implying a high capacity for oxygen delivery. Cells with features of brown adipocyte precursors were found in pericapillary areas. These data demonstrate that human adults indeed possess BAT and thus imply possibilities of future therapeutic strategies for the treatment of obesity, including maintenance of brown adipocytes and stimulation of the growth of preexisting brown precursors.—Zingaretti, M. C., Crosta, F., Vitali, A., Guerrieri, M., Frontini, A., Cannon, B., Nedergaard, J., Cinti, S. The presence of UCP1 demonstrates that metabolically active adipose tissue in the neck of adult humans truly represents brown adipose tissue. FASEB J. 23, 3113–3120 (2009). www.fasebj.org

Subfields: Cell Biology, Physiology, Rehabilitation

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/4228a83399d6fa7ea5fbfb59c57644b159e9f4f3

How researchers see this paper

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In Cell Biology

1. Jun Wu
2. Kosaku Shinoda
3. B. Spiegelman
4. S. Kajimura
5. R. Kaufman

In Physiology

1. S. Kajimura
2. B. Spiegelman
3. Jun Wu
4. P. Cohen
5. J. Heeren
6. A. Bartelt
7. H. Ohno
8. Kosaku Shinoda

In Rehabilitation

1. S. Kajimura
2. B. Spiegelman
3. H. Ohno
4. Kosaku Shinoda
5. L. Sidossis

Citations in the corpus

• Adaptive thermogenesis in adipocytes: is beige the new brown? (2013, background): “Rediscovery of ‘‘thermogenic’’ UCP1-positive adipocytes in adult humans (Cypess et al. 2009; van Marken Lichtenbelt et al. 2009; Virtanen et al. 2009; Zingaretti et al. 2009) has presented a unique opportunity to counter obesity in humans.”
• Brown adipose tissue activity controls triglyceride clearance (2011, background): “This was of special interest to us, as it has been suggested that in humans body fat mass inversely correlates with BAT activity, as determined by positron emission tomography–computed tomography with radioactive glucose tracer”
• Brown and beige fat in humans: thermogenic adipocytes that control energy and glucose homeostasis. (2015, unknown): “Intriguingly, adult human brown adipocytes are also sporadically found together with white adipocytes, and the density is well correlated with the number of tyrosine hydroxylase–positive noradrenergic nerves (27, 30).”
• Activation of Human Brown Adipose Tissue by a β3-Adrenergic Receptor Agonist (2015, background): “One appealing new target for treatment is the activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT), an organ recently found to be functional in adult humans (van Marken Lichtenbelt et al., 2009; Cypess et al., 2009; Virtanen et al., 2009; Zingaretti et al., 2009; Saito et al., 2009).”
• Human BAT Possesses Molecular Signatures That Resemble Beige/Brite Cells (2012, background): “precursors in the BAT from adult humans [10].”
• Brown adipose tissue oxidative metabolism contributes to energy expenditure during acute cold exposure in humans. (2012, background): “The exceptional thermogenic potential of BAT is conferred by abundant welldeveloped mitochondria comprising uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), a protein uncoupling mitochondrial respiration from ATP synthesis (2).”