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Coordinate control of adipose ‘browning’ and energy expenditure by β-adrenergic and natriuretic peptide signalling

International Journal of Obesity Supplements volume 4, pages S17–S20 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

The catecholamines and the adrenergic receptors have been long known to be vital components in the regulation of fat cell metabolism. Whether in response to stress, cold temperature or diet, the β-adrenergic receptors (βARs) respond to epinephrine/norepinephrine to activate a signalling cascade that drives triglyceride hydrolysis to free fatty acids for use as fuel for skeletal and cardiac muscle work. The βARs also are well-established activators of brown fat for the conversion of substrate energy to generate heat from the oxidation of glucose and fatty acids. Long thought to be irrelevant to the biology of adult humans, the realization that there is indeed functional brown fat in humans has now created great interest and enthusiasm over the possibility that recruiting brown fat to target obesity and metabolic disease could represent a viable therapeutic option. Coupled with newer evidence that various stimuli independent of the βARs may also be able to increase active brown adipocytes, including the cardiac natriuretic peptides, it is an exciting time to be working in this area. This review will focus on the catecholamines and natriuretic peptides as cooperative actors in promoting fat metabolism, and will consider areas in need of further research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Diabetes and Obesity Research Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Orlando,, FL, USA

    S Collins

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University ‘Politecnica delle Marche’, Ancona, Italy

    R Sarzani & M Bordicchia

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  1. S Collins
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  3. M Bordicchia
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Correspondence to S Collins.

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Competing interests

SC has received consulting fees from Merck and Astra-Zeneca and received grant support through the Novo Nordisk Diabetes Innovation Award. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest.

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This article is published as part of a supplement sponsored by the Université Laval's Research Chair in Obesity in an effort to inform the public on the causes, consequences, treatments, and prevention of obesity.

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Collins, S., Sarzani, R. & Bordicchia, M. Coordinate control of adipose ‘browning’ and energy expenditure by β-adrenergic and natriuretic peptide signalling. Int J Obes Supp 4 (Suppl 1), S17–S20 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijosup.2014.6

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