Lipid Droplets in Brown Adipose Tissue Are Dispensable for Cold-Induced Thermogenesis.
| Authors | |
| Abstract | Brown adipocytes store metabolic energy as triglycerides (TGs) in lipid droplets (LDs). Fatty acids released from brown adipocyte LDs by lipolysis are thought to activate and fuel UCP1-mediated thermogenesis. Here, we test this hypothesis by preventing fatty acid storage in murine brown adipocytes through brown adipose tissue (BAT)-specific deletions of the TG synthesis enzymes DGAT1 and DGAT2 (BA-DGAT KO). Despite the absence of TGs in brown adipocytes, BAT is functional, and BA-DGAT-KO mice maintain euthermia during acute or chronic cold exposure. As apparent adaptations to the lack of TG, brown adipocytes of BA-DGAT-KO mice appear to use circulating glucose and fatty acids, and stored glycogen, to fuel thermogenesis. Moreover, BA-DGAT-KO mice are resistant to diet-induced glucose intolerance, likely because of increased glucose disposal by BAT. We conclude that TGs in BAT are dispensable for its contribution to cold-induced thermogenesis, at least when other fuel sources are available. |
| Year of Publication | 2020
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| Journal | Cell Rep
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| Volume | 33
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| Issue | 5
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| Pages | 108348
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| Date Published | 2020 Nov 03
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| ISSN | 2211-1247
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| DOI | 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108348
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| PubMed ID | 33147469
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| PubMed Central ID | PMC7696656
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| Links | |
| Grant list | R01 DK124913 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
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