Department of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
PLoS One. 2020 Jul 23;15(7):e0236286. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236286. eCollection 2020.
Functional brown adipose tissue (BAT) was identified in adult humans only in 2007 with the use of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging. Previous studies have demonstrated a negative correlation between obesity and BAT presence in humans. It is proposed that BAT possesses the capacity to increase metabolism and aid weight loss. In rodents it is well established that BAT is stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system with the interscapular BAT being innervated via branches of intercostal nerves. Whilst there is evidence to suggest that BAT possesses beta-3 adrenoceptors, no studies have identified the specific nerve branch that carries sympathetic innervation to BAT in humans. The aim of this study was to identify and trace the peripheral nerve or nerves that innervate human BAT in the supraclavicular region. The posterior triangle region of the neck of cadaveric specimens were dissected in order to identify any peripheral nerve branches piercing and/or terminating in supraclavicular BAT. A previously undescribed branch of the cervical plexus terminating in a supraclavicular adipose depot was identified in all specimens. This was typically an independent branch of the plexus, from the third cervical spinal nerve, but in one specimen was a branch of the supraclavicular nerve. Histological analysis revealed the supraclavicular adipose depot contained tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive structures, which likely represent sympathetic axons. This is the first study that identifies a nerve branch to supraclavicular BAT-like tissue. This finding opens new avenues for the investigation of neural regulation of fat metabolism in humans.
功能性棕色脂肪组织（BAT）仅在 2007 年使用氟脱氧葡萄糖正电子发射断层扫描成像技术才在成年人体内被识别。先前的研究表明肥胖与人体 BAT 的存在呈负相关。有人提出，BAT 具有增加新陈代谢和帮助减肥的能力。在啮齿动物中，已经证实 BAT 受到交感神经系统的刺激，肩胛间 BAT 通过肋间神经的分支进行神经支配。虽然有证据表明 BAT 具有β-3 肾上腺素能受体，但没有研究确定携带交感神经支配到 BAT 的特定神经分支。本研究旨在确定并追踪支配锁骨上区人体 BAT 的外周神经或神经。为了确定任何穿透和/或终止于锁骨上 BAT 的外周神经分支，对尸体标本的颈部后三角区域进行了解剖。在所有标本中均发现了一个以前未描述的终止于锁骨上脂肪沉积处的颈丛分支。这通常是来自第三颈椎脊神经的丛的独立分支，但在一个标本中是锁骨上神经的分支。组织学分析显示锁骨上脂肪沉积中含有酪氨酸羟化酶免疫反应性结构，这些结构可能代表交感轴突。这是首次鉴定到支配锁骨上 BAT 样组织的神经分支的研究。这一发现为研究人类脂肪代谢的神经调节开辟了新途径。
