Expression of uncoupling protein mRNA in thermogenic or weakly thermogenic brown adipose tissue. Evidence for a rapid beta-adrenoreceptor-mediated and transcriptionally regulated step during activation of thermogenesis.

A cloned cDNA sequence for the unique mitochondrial uncoupling protein of rat brown adipose tissue has been used to assay the corresponding mRNA in several situations. When thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue is stimulated (exposure of adult rats to the cold, birth) a rapid and prolonged increase in the level of uncoupling protein mRNA is observed. Such an increase can be mimicked by injection of animals with a new beta-adrenoreceptor agonist BRL 26830A. Conversely it is known that mice and rats with genetic or surgical obesity have a weakly thermogenic brown adipose tissue with a reduced norepinephrine turnover. A reduced level of uncoupling protein mRNA was measured in obese fa/fa rats 10 days or 10 weeks old and in obese rats with a lesion of the ventromedial hypothalamic area but not in obese ob/ob mice. Moreover, exposure of obese animals to cold or dosing with BRL 26830A strikingly increased the level of uncoupling protein mRNA. Measurement of the relative concentration of nascent Ucp transcripts in nuclei isolated from brown adipose tissue indicates that Ucp gene is acutely (within 15 min) regulated at the level of transcription and is controlled via activation of beta-adrenoreceptors of plasma membrane. Ucp gene transcription is decreased in obese fa/fa rats but can be fully and rapidly turned on after injection of BRL 26830A.