Roth Christel L, Molica Filippo, Kwak Brenda R
Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
Metabolites. 2021 May 14;11(5):319. doi: 10.3390/metabo11050319.
Despite continuous medical advances, atherosclerosis remains the prime cause of mortality worldwide. Emerging findings on brown and beige adipocytes highlighted that these fat cells share the specific ability of non-shivering thermogenesis due to the expression of uncoupling protein 1. Brown fat is established during embryogenesis, and beige cells emerge from white adipose tissue exposed to specific stimuli like cold exposure into a process called browning. The consecutive energy expenditure of both thermogenic adipose tissues has shown therapeutic potential in metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes. The latest data suggest promising effects on atherosclerosis development as well. Upon cold exposure, mice and humans have a physiological increase in brown adipose tissue activation and browning of white adipocytes is promoted. The use of drugs like β3-adrenergic agonists in murine models induces similar effects. With respect to atheroprotection, thermogenic adipose tissue activation has beneficial outcomes in mice by decreasing plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins, by increasing high-density lipoproteins, and by inducing secretion of atheroprotective adipokines. Atheroprotective effects involve an unaffected hepatic clearance. Latest clinical data tend to find thinner atherosclerotic lesions in patients with higher brown adipose tissue activity. Strategies for preserving healthy arteries are a major concern for public health.
尽管医学不断进步，但动脉粥样硬化仍是全球主要的死亡原因。关于棕色和米色脂肪细胞的新发现表明，由于解偶联蛋白1的表达，这些脂肪细胞具有非颤抖性产热的特殊能力。棕色脂肪在胚胎发育过程中形成，米色细胞则是白色脂肪组织在受到特定刺激（如冷暴露）后转变而来，这个过程称为“褐变”。这两种产热脂肪组织持续的能量消耗已显示出对肥胖和糖尿病等代谢紊乱疾病的治疗潜力。最新数据表明，其对动脉粥样硬化的发展也有积极作用。冷暴露后，小鼠和人类棕色脂肪组织的激活会生理性增加，白色脂肪细胞的褐变也会得到促进。在小鼠模型中使用β3-肾上腺素能激动剂等药物也会产生类似效果。在动脉粥样硬化保护方面，产热脂肪组织的激活对小鼠有有益影响，可降低血浆甘油三酯、总胆固醇和低密度脂蛋白，增加高密度脂蛋白，并诱导分泌具有动脉粥样硬化保护作用的脂肪因子。其动脉粥样硬化保护作用涉及不影响肝脏清除功能。最新临床数据倾向于发现棕色脂肪组织活性较高的患者动脉粥样硬化病变较薄。维护动脉健康的策略是公共卫生的主要关注点。
