Increased Aquaporin-7 Expression Is Associated with Changes in Rat Brown Adipose Tissue Whitening in Obesity: Impact of Cold Exposure and Bariatric Surgery.

ABSTRACT: Glycerol is a key metabolite for lipid accumulation in insulin-sensitive tissues. We examined the role of aquaporin-7 (AQP7), the main glycerol channel in adipocytes, in the improvement of brown adipose tissue (BAT) whitening, a process whereby brown adipocytes differentiate into white-like unilocular cells, after cold exposure or bariatric surgery in male Wistar rats with diet-induced obesity (DIO) (n = 229). DIO promoted BAT whitening, evidenced by increased BAT hypertrophy, steatosis and upregulation of the lipogenic factors Pparg2, Mogat2 and Dgat1. AQP7 was detected in BAT capillary endothelial cells and brown adipocytes, and its expression was upregulated by DIO. Interestingly, AQP7 gene and protein expressions were downregulated after cold exposure (4 °C)

SUBMITTER: Fruhbeck G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9963055 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature