The contribution of brown and BRITE adipocytes to adaptive thermogenesis and body weight regulation

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Martin Klingenspor
• Subject Area: Nutritional Sciences ; Animal Physiology and Biochemistry
• Term: from 2014 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 258188113

Mammals employ brown adipose tissue for nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) by uncoupling respiration from the ATP synthesis. This mode of thermogenesis is catalysed by the mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in brown adipocytes. UCP1-mediated NST is a substantial component of adaptive thermogenesis essential in cold adaptation and may also contribute to energy balance regulation. Besides UCP1-dependent NST, alternative UCP1-independent mechanisms of adaptive thermogenesis can be recruited in skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue. Brown adipocytes in white adipose tissue, known as BRITE (brown-in-white) or Beige adipocytes, are capable of UCP1-dependent and independent NST. In this project the development of NST and the underlying molecular mechanisms as well as the contribution of these mechanisms to energy balance regulation will be investigated. By tissue specific deletion of the Ucp1-gene using a cell-specific promoter the thermogenic capacity of BRITE adipocytes will be analysed in vivo.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Institution: Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf ; Zentrum für experimentelle Medizin ; Institut für Biochemie und Molekulare Zellbiologie; Technische Universität München; TUM School of Life Sciences; Lehrstuhl für Tierzucht (aufgelöst)
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Jörg Heeren