Delta-Tocopherol Suppresses the Dysfunction of Thermogenesis due to Inflammatory Stimulation in Brown Adipocytes

Abstract

IntroductionAdipose tissue is characterized as either white adipose tissue (WAT) or brown adipose tissue (BAT) . WAT serves as an energy storage site, while BAT acts as a radiator for thermogenesis. Classical brown adipocytes are derived from myf-5-positive, muscle-like cellular lineage. BAT has been recognized as an essential tissue for thermoregulation in infancy 1,2) , but it has also been detected in the supraclavicular and neck region of adult humans using PET-CT 3) . There is a negative correlation between BAT mass and body mass index 4) , so it is gaining attention as a potential target for anti-obesity studies. Brown adipocytes possess large numbers of mitochondria, which contain the uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) , and activated UCP1 uncouples the