Application limitations of sympathetic nerve-mediated thermogenesis of brown/ beige adipose tissue in the treatment of obesity

Studies on promoting thermogenesis of brown and beige adipose tissue have become a hot topic in various metabolic conditions, which based on the conclusions that brown and beige adipose tissue are able to facilitate weight loss and improve metabolic health. However, recent studies showed that there were several problems for the anti-obesity application via promoting brown/beige adipose tissue thermogenesis. In obese individuals, classical brown adipose tissue presents thermogenesis dysfunction. Moreover, the beige adipose tissue has significantly lower thermogenesis capability compared with brown adipose tissue. On such conditions, excessively excited sympathetic innervation is essential to increase energy consumption in obesity via increasing classic brown adipose thermogenesis and inducing white adipose tissuebrowning. However, excessive excited sympathetic nerve results in cardiovascular side effects. Additionally, excessive induction of white adipose tissuebrowningmight disrupt the white adipose tissue homeostasis and aggravate the intrinsic metabolic disorders. Therefore, solving these practical application problems of brown/beige adipose tissue is a new research area for improving metabolic disorders. (Chin J Endocrinol Metab, 2017, 33: 625-628) Key words: Brown adipose tissue; Beige adipose tissue; White adipose tissue browning; Obesity; Energy metabolism; Application limitations