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Cold acclimation recruits human brown fat and increases nonshivering thermogenesis
Anouk A.J.J. van der Lans, … , Patrick Schrauwen, Wouter D. van Marken Lichtenbelt
Anouk A.J.J. van der Lans, … , Patrick Schrauwen, Wouter D. van Marken Lichtenbelt
Published July 15, 2013
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2013;123(8):3395-3403. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI68993.
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Research Article

Cold acclimation recruits human brown fat and increases nonshivering thermogenesis

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Abstract

In recent years, it has been shown that humans have active brown adipose tissue (BAT) depots, raising the question of whether activation and recruitment of BAT can be a target to counterbalance the current obesity pandemic. Here, we show that a 10-day cold acclimation protocol in humans increases BAT activity in parallel with an increase in nonshivering thermogenesis (NST). No sex differences in BAT presence and activity were found either before or after cold acclimation. Respiration measurements in permeabilized fibers and isolated mitochondria revealed no significant contribution of skeletal muscle mitochondrial uncoupling to the increased NST. Based on cell-specific markers and on uncoupling protein-1 (characteristic of both BAT and beige/brite cells), this study did not show “browning” of abdominal subcutaneous white adipose tissue upon cold acclimation. The observed physiological acclimation is in line with the subjective changes in temperature sensation; upon cold acclimation, the subjects judged the environment warmer, felt more comfortable in the cold, and reported less shivering. The combined results suggest that a variable indoor environment with frequent cold exposures might be an acceptable and economic manner to increase energy expenditure and may contribute to counteracting the current obesity epidemic.

Authors

Anouk A.J.J. van der Lans, Joris Hoeks, Boudewijn Brans, Guy H.E.J. Vijgen, Mariëlle G.W. Visser, Maarten J. Vosselman, Jan Hansen, Johanna A. Jörgensen, Jun Wu, Felix M. Mottaghy, Patrick Schrauwen, Wouter D. van Marken Lichtenbelt

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Figure 1

Individual data of BAT activity and NST before and after cold acclimation.

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Individual data of BAT activity and NST before and after cold acclimatio...
Detectable BAT volume and NST increased significantly upon the cold acclimation period. A significant relation is found between NST and BAT activity. (A) Individual data on BAT activity. Left panel: detectable BAT volume (cc); middle panel: glucose uptake rate (μmol/min/100 g); right panel: NST (%). Please note that detectable BAT volume is an overestimation of true active BAT volume. (B) Relation between NST and BAT. Left panel: NST expressed as percentage and BAT activity as SUV mean; right panel: NST expressed as percentage and BAT activity as SUV max. (C) [18F]FDG-PET images of the upper body after cold exposure in a female (top) and a male subject (bottom), before (pre) and after (post) cold acclimation. Main BAT locations are indicated with black arrows; additionally, paravertebral BAT is activated. (D) Transversal CT (top) and PET/CT fusion (bottom) slice of the supraclavicular region demonstrating [18F]FDG-uptake in BAT locations (white arrows) after cold exposure, both before and after the cold acclimation period.

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ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

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