4
White to brown fat phenotypic switch induced by genetic and environmental activation of a hypothalamic-adipocyte axis.
Cell Metab. 2011 Sep 7; 14(3):324-38
All selected articles haveThis article has been added to your saved articles
You can follow/unfollow articles via MyF1000 or via the article or browse pages.
10 Oct 2011
New Finding
DOI: 10.3410/f.13335970.14702074
This fascinating paper suggests that the beneficial effects of environmental enrichment in mice on body weight regulation and prevention of excess white fat deposition are mediated through enhanced brown fat thermogenesis.
It is an important study as it reinforces the recent publication that emphasised...Continue reading
It is an important study as it reinforces the recent publication that emphasised...Continue reading
This fascinating paper suggests that the beneficial effects of environmental enrichment in mice on body weight regulation and prevention of excess white fat deposition are mediated through enhanced brown fat thermogenesis.
It is an important study as it reinforces the recent publication that emphasised the limitations of studying rodents in a confined environment when studying metabolic regulation {1}. Given the increased presence of brown fat in children and adolescents compared to adults {2}, the extent to which early environmental enrichment can prevent later obesity would appear to be an important focus of future research. Moreover, because of the potential differences in brown fat regulation between species (see reference {3}, on which I am an author), studies in larger mammals could assist in moving this exciting topic forward.
It is an important study as it reinforces the recent publication that emphasised the limitations of studying rodents in a confined environment when studying metabolic regulation {1}. Given the increased presence of brown fat in children and adolescents compared to adults {2}, the extent to which early environmental enrichment can prevent later obesity would appear to be an important focus of future research. Moreover, because of the potential differences in brown fat regulation between species (see reference {3}, on which I am an author), studies in larger mammals could assist in moving this exciting topic forward.
References
1.
"Control" laboratory rodents are metabolically morbid: why it matters.
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2010 Apr 6; 14(107):6127-33
PMID: 20194732
2.
Pediatric brown adipose tissue: detection, epidemiology, and differences from adults.
J Pediatr 2011 Dec; 6(159):939-44
PMID: 21839465
3.
Adipose tissue development--impact of the early life environment.
Prog Biophys Mol Biol 2011 Jul; 1(106):300-6
PMID: 21163289
Disclosures
None declared
Add Comment
Symonds M: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Cao L et al., Cell Metab 2011, 14(3):324-38]. In F1000Prime, 10 Oct 2011; DOI: 10.3410/f.13335970.14702074. F1000Prime.com/13335970#eval14702074
28 Oct 2011
Ann Schreihofer
F1000 Physiology
University of North Texas Health Science Center,
Fort Worth, TX, USA.
F1000 Physiology
University of North Texas Health Science Center,
Fort Worth, TX, USA.
New Finding, Novel Drug Target
DOI: 10.3410/f.13335970.14726582
This provocative study shows the ability of an enriched environment to reduce the incidence of diet-induced obesity and related metabolic disorders. Young mice placed in housing of increased size and complexity with or without available running wheels showed a reduced body weight and a shift toward...Continue reading
This provocative study shows the ability of an enriched environment to reduce the incidence of diet-induced obesity and related metabolic disorders. Young mice placed in housing of increased size and complexity with or without available running wheels showed a reduced body weight and a shift toward 'browning' of fat and upregulation of uncoupling protein-1 that appears to involve enhanced expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hypothalamus. This study also underscores the importance of consistent housing conditions for animal studies (e.g. housing lean and obese rats in similar conditions despite differing body sizes and cage requirements).
These authors have previously shown that housing mice in an enriched environment improves cerebral health, as defined by increased neurogenesis, enhances learning and memory and provides resistance to external cerebral insults {1,2}. Along with these changes in brain function, the enriched environment promotes a leaner body mass that is associated with the 'browning' of white fat, increased energy expenditure and resistance to metabolic syndrome even under conditions of a high-fat diet. Further, these authors show that overexpression of BDNF in the hypothalamus mimics the beneficial effects of the enriched environment, whereas inhibition of BNDF blocks the environmental benefits.
These studies not only highlight the importance of considering the housing conditions of our experimental animals but also suggest that engaging in a complex environment impacts the ability to combat deleterious effects of high-fat foods via increased energy expenditure. The identification of hypothalamic BDNF as a critical central signal paves the road for future potential therapeutic targets.
These authors have previously shown that housing mice in an enriched environment improves cerebral health, as defined by increased neurogenesis, enhances learning and memory and provides resistance to external cerebral insults {1,2}. Along with these changes in brain function, the enriched environment promotes a leaner body mass that is associated with the 'browning' of white fat, increased energy expenditure and resistance to metabolic syndrome even under conditions of a high-fat diet. Further, these authors show that overexpression of BDNF in the hypothalamus mimics the beneficial effects of the enriched environment, whereas inhibition of BNDF blocks the environmental benefits.
These studies not only highlight the importance of considering the housing conditions of our experimental animals but also suggest that engaging in a complex environment impacts the ability to combat deleterious effects of high-fat foods via increased energy expenditure. The identification of hypothalamic BDNF as a critical central signal paves the road for future potential therapeutic targets.
References
Disclosures
None declared
Schreihofer A: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Cao L et al., Cell Metab 2011, 14(3):324-38]. In F1000Prime, 28 Oct 2011; DOI: 10.3410/f.13335970.14726582. F1000Prime.com/13335970#eval14726582
F1000Prime Recommendations, Dissents and Comments for [Cao L et al., Cell Metab 2011, 14(3):324-38]. In F1000Prime, 23 May 2013; F1000Prime.com/13335970
Only registered/signed-in users can make comments.
Sign in or Subscribe to create your user account and join the discussion.
Sign in or Subscribe to create your user account and join the discussion.
No comments yet.
Living in an enriched environment with complex physical and social stimulation leads to improved cognitive and metabolic health. In white fat, enrichment induced the upregulation of the brown fat cell fate determining gene Prdm16, brown fat-specific markers, and genes involved in thermogenesis and β-adrenergic signaling. Moreover, pockets of cells with prototypical brown fat morphology and high UCP1 levels were observed in the white fat of enriched mice associated with resistance to diet-induced obesity. Hypothalamic overexpression of BDNF reproduced the enrichment-associated activation of the brown fat gene program and lean phenotype. Inhibition of BDNF signaling by genetic knockout or dominant-negative trkB reversed this phenotype. Our genetic and pharmacologic data suggest a mechanism whereby induction of hypothalamic BDNF expression in response to environmental stimuli leads to selective sympathoneural modulation of white fat to induce "browning" and increased energy dissipation.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2011.06.020
PMID: 21907139
