Work

Triiodothyronine (T3) promotes browning of white adipose through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Obesity arises from an imbalance between energy consumption and energy expenditure, and thyroid hormone levels serve as a determinant of energy expenditure. We conducted experiments at the animal and cellular levels and combined those findings with clinical data to elucidate the role of triiodothyronine (T3) in facilitating the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) and its underlying mechanism. The results showed (i) the impaired metabolic function of local WAT and the compensatory elevation of systemic thermogenesis in obesity; (ii) T3 treatment of white adipocytes in vitro and local WAT in vivo induced a shift towards a morphologically "brown" phenotype, accompanied by upregulation of mRNA and protein expression of browning-related and mitochondrial function markers, which suggest that T3 intervention promotes the browning of WAT; and (iii) the aforementioned processes could be modulated through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway; however, whether T3 affects the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway by affecting insulin signalling remains to be studied and clarified. The results of our study indicate that T3 treatment promotes browning of WAT through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway; these findings offer novel perspectives regarding the potential of localised therapies for addressing WAT volume in individuals with obesity.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-71591-0

Authors: LingHong Huang, ZhiFeng Guo, MingJing Huang, XiYing Zeng, HuiBin Huang

Institution: Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University

Language: English

Topic: Adipose Tissue and Metabolism

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,590