Scientists discover the switch that makes human brown fat burn energy


Date:
August 5, 2020
Source:
University of Copenhagen The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Summary:
The receptor responsible for activating the energy-burning property
of brown fat in humans has been identified. The next step is to
investigate drugs that fit the receptor and trigger the response
as a means to treat obesity and type-2 diabetes.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
An international research team have discovered how to activate brown
fat in humans, which may lead to new treatments for type 2 diabetes
and obesity. The results of the collaboration between the Centre de
recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CRCHUS) and
the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR)
at the University of Copenhagen were published today in Cell Metabolism.


========================================================================== Brown fat burns energy and generates heat -- a process called
thermogenesis - - after being activated by cold temperature or chemical signals. Humans have small deposits of brown fat, and scientists have
long hypothesized that finding alternative ways to pharmacologically
activate the fat could help improve metabolism.

Scientists have now discovered that beta2-adrenergic receptors (b2-AR) in
brown fat cells are responsible for stimulating thermogenesis. According
to Dr. Denis Blondin from CRCHUS, the finding could explain why most
clinical trials, which have attempted to induce BAT to burn energy,
have performed poorly.

"We show that perhaps we were aiming for the wrong target all along. In contrast to rodents, human BAT is activated through the stimulation of
the beta2-adrenergic receptor, the same receptor responsible for the
release of fat from our white adipose tissue." Unlocking the therapeutic potential of brown fat According to Associate Professor Camilla Sche'ele
at CBMR, this finding has clear therapeutic applications. "Activation
of brown fat burns calories, improves insulin sensitivity and even
affects appetite regulation. Our data reveals a previously unknown
key to unlocking these functions in humans, which would potentially
be of great gain for people living with obesity or type 2 diabetes."
A second phase of research will begin in the autumn, which will attempt
to validate the finding by activating brown fat with drugs that target
b2-AR, explains Professor Andre' Carpentier from CRCHUS: "Our next step
will be to use a drug that specifically activate that target on brown
fat and determine how much it could be of use to burn fat and calories
in humans. Once this is done, studies in patients with type 2 diabetes
will start to determine if this approach can be useful to improve the
metabolic control of the disease."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided
by University_of_Copenhagen_The_Faculty_of_Health_and
Medical_Sciences. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Denis P. Blondin, Soren Nielsen, Eline N. Kuipers, Mai
C. Severinsen,
Verena H. Jensen, Ste'phanie Miard, Naja Z. Jespersen, Sander
Kooijman, Marie"tte R. Boon, Me'lanie Fortin, Serge Phoenix,
Fre'de'rique Frisch, Brigitte Gue'rin, E'ric E. Turcotte, Franc,ois
Haman, Denis Richard, Fre'de'ric Picard, Patrick C.N. Rensen,
Camilla Scheele, Andre' C.

Carpentier. Human Brown Adipocyte Thermogenesis Is Driven by b2-AR
Stimulation. Cell Metabolism, 2020; 32 (2): 287 DOI: 10.1016/
j.cmet.2020.07.005 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200805102023.htm

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