Adipocyte browning in response to trauma: Some important methodological considerations

Authors: PORTER, CRAIG - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)

Submitted to: SHOCK
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/5/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Knuth and colleagues recently reported (1) persistent browning of subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) in burned mice, which they suggest plays a detrimental role in burn induced hypermetabolism. WAT browning requires the recruitment of the mitochondrial carrier protein UCP1 (uncoupling protein 1). Direct measurement of UCP1 function in both brown adipose tissue (BAT) and WAT are needed to appraise the contribution of WAT browning to hypermetabolism. In their recent report, Knuth and colleagues (1) did not measure UCP1 function. The authors report 'basal' mitochondria respiration in WAT and BAT, but do not define this respiratory state nor how it was assayed, referring readers to an earlier publication for details (2). In short, it appears that succinate driven state 3 respiration was measured. However, state 3 (ADP-driven) respiration is not a measure UCP1 dependent thermogenesis. Indeed, succinate does not support UCP1 dependent respiration in BAT (3, 4). Thus, the WAT and BAT respiration data reported in (1) do not reflect UCP1 function.