The Role of Adipose Tissue Mitochondria: Regulation of Mitochondrial Function for the Treatment of Metabolic Diseases

Abstract

Mitochondria play a key role in maintaining energy homeostasis in metabolic tissues, including adipose tissues. The two main types of adipose tissues are the white adipose tissue (WAT) and the brown adipose tissue (BAT). WAT primarily stores excess energy, whereas BAT is predominantly responsible for energy expenditure by non-shivering thermogenesis through the mitochondria. WAT in response to appropriate stimuli such as cold exposure and β-adrenergic agonist undergoes browning wherein it acts as BAT, which is characterized by the presence of a higher number of mitochondria. Mitochondrial dysfunction in adipocytes has been reported to have strong correlation with metabolic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. Dysfunction of mitochondria results in detrimental effects on adipocyte differentiation, lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity, oxidative capacity, and thermogenesis, which consequently lead to metabolic diseases. Recent studies have shown that mitochondrial function can be improved by using thiazolidinedione, mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, and dietary natural compounds; by performing exercise; and by controlling caloric restriction, thereby maintaining the metabolic homeostasis by inducing adaptive thermogenesis of BAT and browning of WAT. In this review, we focus on and summarize the molecular regulation involved in the improvement of mitochondrial function in adipose tissues so that strategies can be developed to treat metabolic diseases.

Estrogen-Related Receptor Alpha: An Under-Appreciated Potential Target for the Treatment of Metabolic Diseases

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Effect of the deuterium on efficiency and type of adipogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells in vitro

“…The ability to control the formation of new adipose tissue, to convert white adipose tissue into brown/beige adipose tissue, or to set the direction of differentiation of ADSCs into a specific subtype of adipocytes is an attractive target for the development of new pharmacological substances to treat obesity, metabolic syndrome and T2DM 17 .…”

Gomisin N from Schisandra chinensis Ameliorates Lipid Accumulation and Induces a Brown Fat-Like Phenotype through AMP-Activated Protein Kinase in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

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