Review Analysis of the Association between the Prevalence of Activated Brown Adipose Tissue and Outdoor Temperature

Yung-Cheng Huang,Tai-Been Chen,Nan-Tsing Chiu,Bi-Fang Lee,Chien-Chin Hsu,Yen-Hsiang Chang,Pei-Wen Wang

doi:10.1100/2012/793039

Abstract

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is important for regulating body weight. Environmental temperature influences BAT activation. Activated BAT is identifiable using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT). 18F-FDG PET/CT scans done between June 2005 and May 2009 in our institution in tropical southern Taiwan and BAT studies from PubMed (2002–2011) were reviewed, and the average outdoor temperatures during the study periods were obtained. A simple linear regression was used to analyze the association between the prevalence of activated BAT (P) and the average outdoor temperature (T). The review analysis for 9 BAT studies (n = 16, 765) showed a significant negative correlation (r = −0.741, P = 0.022) between the prevalence of activated BAT and the average outdoor temperature. The equation of the regression line is P(%) = 6.99 − 0.20 × T (°C). The prevalence of activated BAT decreased by 1% for each 5°C increase in average outdoor temperature. In a neutral ambient temperature, the prevalence of activated BAT is low and especially rare in the tropics. There is a significant linear negative correlation between the prevalence of activated BAT and the average outdoor temperature.

Highlights

Brown adipose tissue (BAT), with its thermogenic potential contributing to energy expenditure, is believed to influence body weight and age-related metabolic diseases [1, 2]
Activated BAT is identifiable using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT). 18F-FDG PET/CT scans done between June 2005 and May 2009 in our institution in tropical southern Taiwan and BAT studies from PubMed (2002–2011) were reviewed, and the average outdoor temperatures during the study periods were obtained
We grouped the 18F-FDG PET/CT scans from our patients with activated BAT according to the season in which the PET/CT was done

Summary

Introduction

Brown adipose tissue (BAT), with its thermogenic potential contributing to energy expenditure, is believed to influence body weight and age-related metabolic diseases [1, 2]. It is potentially a candidate target tissue for anti-obesity therapies and has recently attracted much attention. In spite of the decrease in the amount of BAT with age, islets of brown adipocytes still endure in the white adipose tissue of adult humans [3, 4]. The presence of this BAT, the recruitment of BAT, and the conversion of white into brown adipocytes may contribute to the development of new treatments for the current obesity pandemic [5, 6].

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Results

Conclusion