Abstract
Thermogenic UCP1-positive cells, which include brown and beige adipocytes, transform chemical energy into heat and increase whole-body energy expenditure. Using a ribosomal profiling approach, we present a comprehensive molecular description of brown and beige gene expression from multiple fat depots in vivo. This UCP1-TRAP data set demonstrates striking similarities and important differences between these cell types, including a smooth muscle-like signature expressed by beige, but not classical brown, adipocytes. In vivo fate mapping using either a constitutive or an inducible Myh11-driven Cre demonstrates that at least a subset of beige cells arise from a smooth muscle-like origin. Finally, ectopic expression of PRDM16 converts bona fide vascular smooth muscle cells into Ucp1-positive adipocytes in vitro. These results establish a portrait of brown and beige adipocyte gene expression in vivo and identify a smooth muscle-like origin for beige cells.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 810-820 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Cell Metabolism |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 6 2014 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology