 |
Our research group participates in the discovery of a new mechanism of regulation of brown adipose tissue, as published in the May issue of Cell. |
| |
The Bone morphogenetic protein B (BMP8B) plays a key role in the regulation of thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue, according to the conclusions, acting at both central and peripheral level. The finding was the result of investigations conducted by the research group of Antonio Vidal-Puig, University of Cambridge, UK, with the participation of laboratories from Iowa (USA), Stockholm (Sweden) and Santiago de Compostela. In this collaborative research, our group provided, among other contributions, key information on the role of PPARalfa in the control of the Bmp8b gene.
For more information see:
http://www.ub.edu/web/ub/ca/menu_eines/noticies/2012/05/077.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22579288
www.ub.edu/ibub
|
|
Biochemical Journal comments our recent paper “Pref-1 in brown adipose tissue; specific involvement of in brown adipocyte differentiation and regulatory role of C/EBPdelta” by Jordi Armengol and collaborators. |
| |
Under the title “Pref-1 preferentially inhibits heat production in brown adipose tissue”, Eric Kalkhoven and collaborators from the University Medical Centre Utrecht comment our recent publication in Biochemical Journal (Armengol J et al. Biochem J. 2012 May 1; 443(3):799-810), our findings indicating a repressive role of Pref-1 in brown fat thermogenesis and the evidence that specific manipulation of brown adipose tissue may open up new therapeutic ways to combat obesity-associated health problems.
|
|
Our publication "Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor-gamma Coactivator-alpha Controls Transcription of the Sirt3 Gene, an Essential Component of the Thermogenic Brown Adipocyte Phenotype” in the Journal of Biological Chemistry has been designated as one of the best papers published by the journal in 2011. |
| |
The journal selected only 20 papers – out of the more than 4,000 that were published last year – to receive this special designation. They chose one paper for each of the jounral’s affinity groups, and the study by Giralt and collaborators represents the best in the Bioenergetics affinity group.
Journal of Biological Chemistry will make a public announcement soon, and have made all of the Best of 2011 papers freely accessible at http://www.jbc.org/site/bestoftheyear.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry is the official journal of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBBM), established in 1905, it is among the international journals on Biochemistry with the highest international reputation. |
|
A preview on the role of irisin in white-to-brown adipose transformation in the March 7th issue of Cell Metabolism.
|
| |
Francesc Villarroya reviews and discusses the recent identification of irisin, a novel myokine, on the "browning" of white fat, the process by which brown adipocytes develop inside white adipose tissue depots.
|
|
Francesc Villarroya contributes to the dissemination of recent research on the control of brown adipose tissue activity and its relevance in obesity. |
| |
On February 2nd, 2012, Francesc Villarroya has been interviewed in Telediario, the major news program in Spanish TV, to explain the significance of recent findings on the control of brown fat activity and novel agents stimulating brown fat thermogenesis in relation to energy balance and obesity.
|
|
"A report and interview with Francesc Villarroya in the Newsletter of CIBERobn" |
| |
|
|
A report in the newspaper "El País" summarizes the current advancements in brown adipose tissue research in relation to obesity and quote the opinions of F Villarroya among other experts. |
| |
|
|
|
Our research group is contributing to scientific spreading: “Brown fat and Obesity” in the April issue of “Investigación y Ciencia”, the Spanish version of Scientific American. |
| |
In the section “`Panorama”, Francesc Villarroya, Roser Iglesias and Marta Giralt summarize the recent evidence of the importance of brown fat in adult humans and its role in energy expenditure and the control of obesity. |
|
|
A novel contribution of our research team on the role of brown adipose tissue in FGF21 biology, published in Journal of Biological Chemistry |
| |
We report that brown adipose tissue is not only a target but also a source of the hormonal factor FGF21 after activation of thermogenesis.
This discovery may be the tip of the iceberg of the recognition of a novel endocrine role of brown fat as source of regulatory molecules with impact in overall metabolism.
The paper is already available on-line at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21317437
The Figure at the end of the study summarizes the major findings. |
|
|
The December 2010 issue of the journal Current Pharmaceutical Design, with the title "Targets of Metabolic Toxicity of HIV Antiretroviral
Drugs: The Multiple Roads to Lipodystrophy and Metabolic Syndrome", has been edited by our research team in collaboration with P. Domingo. |
| |
The December issue of Current Pharmaceutical Design has been devoted to "Targets of Metabolic Toxicity of HIV Antiretroviral Drugs: The Multiple Roads to Lipodystrophy and Metabolic Syndrome". Francesc Villarroya, in collaboration with Pere Domingo, acted as executive guest editor of this issue. The issue includes several review articles on the distinct aspects of the ethiopathogenesis of lipodystrophy syndrome and the metabolic alterations appearing in HIV-1-infected patients under antiretroviral treatment. Adipose cell alterations, inflammation, lipotoxicity and pharmacogenomics of the syndrome are among the subjects covered. The most recognized international experts in the field have participated in the issue. The cover of the journal depicts the lipotoxic events associated with these metabolic alterations in HIV-1 patients. |
|
|
The XI International Congress on Obesity rewards a research work of our team |
| |
The XI International Congress on Obesity, held in Stockholm, has distinguished the communication “ FGF21, a novel actor in the control of brown adipose tissue activation Thermogenics” presented by our team as one of the top five communications.
This communication was selected among 1,250 worldwide research projects. Specifically, it has been considered the best communication in the field of Experimental Medicine and Physiology (one of the five areas of research in the Congress). |
|
|
|
An article on the discovery of a new pathway of thermogenesis hormonal control, carried out by our research
team, on “Cell Metabolism” cover. |
| |
The publication, edited on “ Cell Metabolism” March issue, identifies the hormonal factor FGF21 as a new activator of brown adipose tissue and its metabolic consumption activity. FGF21 is produced by the liver that releases it into the circulation in response to the stimulation of fatty acids. The study, based on the use of neonatal mice as an experimental model which are exposed to milk fat for the first time in their development, identifies a new pathway of controlling the energy expenditure with potential therapeutic application in obesity and type II diabetes. |
|
