Integrating Extracellular Flux Measurements and Genome-Scale Modeling Reveals Differences between Brown and White Adipocytes
Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: White adipocytes are specialized for energy storage, whereas brown adipocytes are specialized for energy expenditure. Explicating this difference can help identify therapeutic targets for obesity. A common tool to assess metabolic differences between such cells is the Seahorse Extracellular Flux (XF) Analyzer, which measures oxygen consumption and media acidification in the presence of different substrates and perturbagens. Here, we integrate the Analyzer's metabolic profile from human white and brown adipocytes with a genome-scale metabolic model to predict flux differences across the metabolic map. Predictions matched experimental data for the metabolite 4-aminobutyrate, the protein ABAT, and the fluxes for glucose, glutamine, and palmitate. We also uncovered a difference in how adipocytes dispose of nitrogenous waste, with brown adipocytes secreting less ammonia and more urea than white adipocytes. Thus, the method and software we developed allow for broader metabolic phenotyping and provide a distinct approach to uncovering metabolic differences.
Source: Cell Reports
Institutions: Boston University, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard University
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,620
Awards: Regulation of human brown and beige adipocyte differentiation and function, Fibroblast Growth Factor and Energy Metabolism, The Lipidomics of Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis, Telomerase as a Marker of Brown and White Adipose Tissue Stem Cells, Training Grant in Diabetes and Metabolism, Diabetes Research Center, Developmental genes, miRNAs and adipose tissue
OpenAlex ID: W2773846768