TY - JOUR

T1 - Fueling the fire of adipose thermogenesis

AU - Wolfrum, Christian

AU - Gerhart-Hines, Zachary

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Adipose thermogenesis is the energy lost as heat through metabolism of macronutrients in specialized fat cells, or adipocytes (1). This program is activated by neuronal, hormonal, and metabolic cues in response to cold temperature, dietary excess, and time of day. The capacity of thermogenic adipocytes to dissipate macronutrient calories as heat is vital to body temperature defense in rodents and, likely, human infants. In adult humans, this tissue serves as a catabolic "sink" to burn off excess blood macronutrients, and its activity is linked to improved body weight regulation, glucose and lipid control, and cardiometabolic health (2). Stimulating adipose thermogenesis is an appealing strategy to counteract metabolic disruptions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, but has yet to yield a pharmacotherapy that is both safe and efficacious. However, deeper interrogation of heat-producing macronutrient pathways and the emerging roles of macronutrients in shaping thermogenic capacity offer the possibility of finally unlocking this distinct biology.

AB - Adipose thermogenesis is the energy lost as heat through metabolism of macronutrients in specialized fat cells, or adipocytes (1). This program is activated by neuronal, hormonal, and metabolic cues in response to cold temperature, dietary excess, and time of day. The capacity of thermogenic adipocytes to dissipate macronutrient calories as heat is vital to body temperature defense in rodents and, likely, human infants. In adult humans, this tissue serves as a catabolic "sink" to burn off excess blood macronutrients, and its activity is linked to improved body weight regulation, glucose and lipid control, and cardiometabolic health (2). Stimulating adipose thermogenesis is an appealing strategy to counteract metabolic disruptions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, but has yet to yield a pharmacotherapy that is both safe and efficacious. However, deeper interrogation of heat-producing macronutrient pathways and the emerging roles of macronutrients in shaping thermogenic capacity offer the possibility of finally unlocking this distinct biology.

U2 - 10.1126/science.abl7108

DO - 10.1126/science.abl7108

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35298244

AN - SCOPUS:85126676427

VL - 375

SP - 1229

EP - 1231

JO - Science

JF - Science

SN - 0036-8075

IS - 6586

ER -