snRNA-seq reveals a subpopulation of adipocytes that regulates thermogenesis.
Wenfei SunHua DongMiroslav BalazMichal SlyperEugene DrokhlyanskyGeorgia ColleluoriAntonio GiordanoZuzana KovanicovaPatrik StefanickaLucia BalazovaLianggong DingAnna Sofie HustedGottfried RudofskyJozef UkropecSaverio CintiThue W SchwartzAviv RegevChristian WolfrumPublished in: Nature (2020)
Adipose tissue is usually classified on the basis of its function as white, brown or beige (brite)1. It is an important regulator of systemic metabolism, as shown by the fact that dysfunctional adipose tissue in obesity leads to a variety of secondary metabolic complications2,3. In addition, adipose tissue functions as a signalling hub that regulates systemic metabolism through paracrine and endocrine signals4. Here we use single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) analysis in mice and humans to characterize adipocyte heterogeneity. We identify a rare subpopulation of adipocytes in mice that increases in abundance at higher temperatures, and we show that this subpopulation regulates the activity of neighbouring adipocytes through acetate-mediated modulation of their thermogenic capacity. Human adipose tissue contains higher numbers of cells of this subpopulation, which could explain the lower thermogenic activity of human compared to mouse adipose tissue and suggests that targeting this pathway could be used to restore thermogenic activity.
Keyphrases
- adipose tissue
- insulin resistance
- high fat diet induced
- single cell
- high fat diet
- endothelial cells
- rna seq
- metabolic syndrome
- type diabetes
- induced pluripotent stem cells
- genome wide
- weight loss
- cell death
- pluripotent stem cells
- physical activity
- gene expression
- cancer therapy
- oxidative stress
- network analysis
- wastewater treatment
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- fatty acid
- data analysis