A Smooth Muscle-Like Origin for Beige Adipocytes

• Published in: Cell metabolism Vol. 19; no. 5; pp. 810 - 820
• Main Authors: Long, Jonathan Z., Svensson, Katrin J., Tsai, Linus, Zeng, Xing, Roh, Hyun C., Kong, Xingxing, Rao, Rajesh R., Lou, Jesse, Lokurkar, Isha, Baur, Wendy, Castellot, John J., Rosen, Evan D., Spiegelman, Bruce M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 06.05.2014
• Subjects: Acid Phosphatase - genetics; Acid Phosphatase - metabolism; Adipocytes - metabolism; Adipose Tissue, Brown - metabolism; Animals; Cells, Cultured; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Female; Gene Expression - genetics; Ion Channels - genetics; Ion Channels - metabolism; Isoenzymes - genetics; Isoenzymes - metabolism; Mice; Mitochondrial Proteins - genetics; Mitochondrial Proteins - metabolism; Muscle, Smooth - metabolism; Myosin Heavy Chains - genetics; Myosin Heavy Chains - metabolism; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase; Thermogenesis - genetics; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Uncoupling Protein 1
• ISSN: 1550-4131; 1932-7420
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2014.03.025

Thermogenic UCP1-positive cells, which include brown and beige adipocytes, transform chemical energy into heat and increase whole-body energy expenditure. Using a ribosomal profiling approach, we present a comprehensive molecular description of brown and beige gene expression from multiple fat depots in vivo. This UCP1-TRAP data set demonstrates striking similarities and important differences between these cell types, including a smooth muscle-like signature expressed by beige, but not classical brown, adipocytes. In vivo fate mapping using either a constitutive or an inducible Myh11-driven Cre demonstrates that at least a subset of beige cells arise from a smooth muscle-like origin. Finally, ectopic expression of PRDM16 converts bona fide vascular smooth muscle cells into Ucp1-positive adipocytes in vitro. These results establish a portrait of brown and beige adipocyte gene expression in vivo and identify a smooth muscle-like origin for beige cells. [Display omitted] •Ribosomal profiling provides a molecular portrait of thermogenic adipocytes in vivo•Beige, but not classical brown cells, express smooth muscle-like genes•Smooth muscle-like cells are precursors for beige adipocytes in vivo•PRDM16 converts smooth muscle cells into thermogenic adipocytes in vitro Long et al. use ribosomal profiling (TRAP) to analyze UCP1-positive cells and map similarities and differences between brown and beige adipocytes, including a “smooth muscle-like” signature for beige but not brown adipocytes. In vivo fate mapping reveal a smooth muscle-like origin for beige cells.