Nature Communications (Jan 2017)

A-FABP mediates adaptive thermogenesis by promoting intracellular activation of thyroid hormones in brown adipocytes

  • Lingling Shu,
  • Ruby L. C. Hoo,
  • Xiaoping Wu,
  • Yong Pan,
  • Ida P. C. Lee,
  • Lai Yee Cheong,
  • Stefan R Bornstein,
  • Xianglu Rong,
  • Jiao Guo,
  • Aimin Xu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14147
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 16

Abstract

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The protein A-FABP is secreted from adipocytes and known to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Here the authors show A-FABP enhances thermogenesis by promoting the conversion of thyroxine T4 to the bioactive form, T3, in brown adipocytes, and by enhancing fatty acid uptake of brown fat.