Cited by 459Adipose Tissue and MetabolismRegulation of Appetite and ObesityLipid metabolism and biosynthesis

Sympathetic and sensory innervation of brown adipose tissue

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Bartness, T J, Vaughan, C H, Song, C K·2010·International Journal of Obesity

Abstract

The innervation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is incontrovertible and, with its activation, functions as the principal, if not exclusive, stimulator of BAT thermogenesis. The parasympathetic innervation of BAT only appears in two minor BAT depots, but not in the major interscapular BAT (IBAT) depot. BAT thermogenesis is triggered by the release of norepinephrine from its sympathetic nerve terminals, stimulating β3-adrenoceptors that turns on a cascade of intracellular events ending in activation of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1). BAT also has sensory innervation that may function to monitor BAT lipolysis, a response necessary for activation of UCP-1 by fatty acids, or perhaps responding in a feedback manner to BAT temperature changes. The central sympathetic outflow circuits ultimately terminating in BAT have been revealed by injecting the retrograde viral transneuronal tract tracer, pseudorabies virus, into the tissue; moreover, there is a high degree of colocalization of melanocortin 4-receptor mRNA on these neurons across the neural axis. The necessary and sufficient central BAT SNS outflow sites that are activated by various thermogenic stimuli are not precisely known. In a chronic decerebration procedure, IBAT UCP-1 gene expression can be triggered by fourth ventricular injections of melanotan II, the melanocortin 3/4 receptor agonist, suggesting that there is sufficient hindbrain neural circuitry to generate thermogenic responses with this stimulation. The recent recognition of BAT in normal adult humans suggests a potential target for stimulation of energy expenditure by BAT to help mitigate increased body fat storage.

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Authors
Bartness, T. J., Vaughan, C. H., & Song, C. K.
Affiliations
Georgia State University (US)
Corresponding author
Bartness, T J
Venue
International Journal of Obesity
Published
2010-10
Volume
34
Issue
S1
Pages
S36-S42
ISSN
  • 0307-0565 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5497
OpenAlex
W1991845771
Cited by
459
References
295
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 41
FWCI
2.86
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal of Obesity (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R37DK35254, R37DK035254)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Lipid metabolism and biosynthesis
Keywords
brown adipose tissue, sympathetic innervation, parasympathetic innervation, thermogenesis, norepinephrine, beta3-adrenergic receptor, UCP1, sensory innervation, melanocortin-4 receptor, melanotan II, energy expenditure, pseudorabies virus tracing
MeSH terms
Uncoupling Protein 1, Animals, Adipose Tissue, Brown, Humans, Ion Channels, Sympathetic Nervous System, Thermogenesis, Mitochondrial Proteins

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