Uncoupling Metabolic Health from Thermogenesis via BCAA Flux in Brown Fat
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ABSTRACT: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is best known for thermogenesis. Whereas numerous studies in rodents found tight associations between the metabolic benefits of BAT and enhanced whole-body energy expenditure, emerging evidence in humans suggests that BAT is protective against Type 2 diabetes independent of body-weight. The underlying mechanism for this dissociation remained unclear. Here, we report that impaired mitochondrial flux of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in BAT, by deleting mitochondrial BCAA carrier (MBC, encoded by Slc25a44), was sufficient to cause systemic insulin resistance without affecting whole-body energy expenditure or body-weight. We found that brown adipocytes catabolized BCAAs in the mitochondria as essential nitrogen donors for the biosynthesis of glutamate, N-acetylated amino acids, and one of the products, glutathione. BAT-selective impairment in mitochondrial BCAA flux led to elevated oxidative stress and insulin resistance in the liver, accompanied by reduced levels of BCAA-nitrogen derived metabolites in the circulation. In turn, supplementation of glutathione restored insulin sensitivity of BAT-specific MBC knockout mice. Notably, a high-fat diet rapidly impaired BCAA catabolism and the synthesis of BCAA-nitrogen derived metabolites in the BAT, while cold-induced BAT activity is coupled with an active synthesis of these metabolites. Together, the present work uncovers a mechanism through which brown fat controls metabolic health independent of thermogenesis via BCAA-derived nitrogen carriers acting on the liver.
INSTRUMENT(S): Orbitrap Eclipse
ORGANISM(S): Mus Musculus (mouse)
TISSUE(S): Brown Adipocyte
SUBMITTER: Anthony Verkerke
LAB HEAD: Shingo Kajimura
PROVIDER: PXD044020 | Pride | 2024-02-15
REPOSITORIES: Pride
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