Toward novel molecular targeting strategies for the metabolic syndrome

在啮齿动物和其他动物中，棕色脂肪细胞有助于能量消耗和产热，但人类的棕色脂肪细胞尚未被详细表征，主要是因为迄今为止还没有可用于实验的可在培养中繁殖的功能性人类棕色脂肪细胞。我们最近建立了新的方法来诱导人类和小鼠棕色脂肪细胞。在本研究中，我们检测了棕色脂肪细胞的基因表达谱、表观遗传状态和代谢活性，同时我们也分析了它们的活性调控及其诱导的分子机制。本研究结果对开发针对代谢综合征的新型分子靶向治疗具有重要意义。

In rodents and other animals, brown adipocytes contribute to energy expenditure and heat production, but brown adipocytes of humans have not been characterized in detail, mainly because functional human brown adipocytes that can be propagated in culture have not been available for experimental use so far. We recently established novel procedures to induce human and murine brown adipocytes. In this study we examined gene expression profiles, epigenetic states, and metabolic activities of the brown adipocytes, while we also analyzed regulation of their activities and molecular mechanisms of their induction. The present findings have important implication to novel molecular targeting therapy against metabolic syndromes.