High Incidence of Metabolically Active Brown Adipose Tissue in Healthy Adult Humans

• DOI: 10.2337/db09-0530
• Publication Date: 2009-04-29T01:33:23Z
• Authors: Masayuki Saito; Yuko Okamatsu-Ogura; Mami Matsushita; Kumiko Watanabe; Takeshi Yoneshiro; Junko Nio-Kobayashi; Toshihiko Iwanaga; Masao Miyagawa; Toshimitsu Kameya; Kunihiro Nakada; Yuko Kawai; Masayuki Tsujisaki
• Keywords: Adult; Male; 0301 basic medicine; Environmental Exposure; 3. Good health; Cold Temperature; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Adipose Tissue; Adipose Tissue, Brown; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Reference Values; Positron-Emission Tomography; Adipocytes; Humans; Original Article; Female; Autopsy; Seasons; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVE The significant roles of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in the regulation energy expenditure and adiposity are established small rodents but have been controversial humans. objective is to examine prevalence metabolically active BAT healthy adult humans clarify effects cold exposure adiposity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In vivo 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake into was measured 56 volunteers (31 male 25 female subjects) aged 23–65 years by positron emission tomography (PET) combined with X-ray computed (CT). RESULTS When exposed (19°C) for 2 h, 17 32 younger subjects (aged 23–35 years) 24 elderly 38–65 showed a substantial FDG supraclavicular paraspinal regions, whereas they no detectable when kept warm (27°C). Histological examinations confirmed presence adipocytes these regions. cold-activated increased winter compared summer (P < 0.001) inversely related BMI total 0.01) visceral fat areas estimated from CT image at umbilical level. CONCLUSIONS Our findings, being against conventional view, indicate high incidence suggest role control body temperature