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Adipocyte Ceramides Regulate Subcutaneous Adipose Browning, Inflammation, and Metabolism
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Adipocyte Ceramides Regulate Subcutaneous Adipose Browning, Inflammation, and Metabolism

Bhagirath Chaurasia, Vincent Andre Kaddai, Graeme Iain Lancaster, Darren C. Henstridge, Sandhya Sriram, Dwight Lark Anolin Galam, Venkatesh Gopalan, K.N. Bhanu Prakash, S. Sendhil Velan, Sarada Bulchand, …
Cell metabolism, Vol.24(6), pp.820-834
12/13/2016
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.10.002
PMID: 27818258
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2016.10.002View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Adipocytes package incoming fatty acids into triglycerides and other glycerolipids, with only a fraction spilling into a parallel biosynthetic pathway that produces sphingolipids. Herein, we demonstrate that subcutaneous adipose tissue of type 2 diabetics contains considerably more sphingolipids than non-diabetic, BMI-matched counterparts. Whole-body and adipose tissue-specific inhibition/deletion of serine palmitoyltransferase (Sptlc), the first enzyme in the sphingolipid biosynthesis cascade, in mice markedly altered adipose morphology and metabolism, particularly in subcutaneous adipose tissue. The reduction in adipose sphingolipids increased brown and beige/brite adipocyte numbers, mitochondrial activity, and insulin sensitivity. The manipulation also increased numbers of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages in the adipose bed and induced secretion of insulin-sensitizing adipokines. By comparison, deletion of serine palmitoyltransferase from macrophages had no discernible effects on metabolic homeostasis or adipose function. These data indicate that newly synthesized adipocyte sphingolipids are nutrient signals that drive changes in the adipose phenotype to influence whole-body energy expenditure and nutrient metabolism. [Display omitted] •Cold or β-adrenergic agonists selectively reduce adipose ceramides•Adipocyte-specific inhibition of ceramide synthesis induces adipose beiging•Ceramide effects on adipose metabolism are cell autonomous•Adipose sphingolipids increase in obesity and correlate with insulin resistance Chaurasia et al. show that whole-body and fat-specific inhibition of ceramide synthesis induces browning and increases M2 macrophages preferentially in subcutaneous WAT of obese mice. Adipose sphingolipids, increased by overnutrition and decreased by cold, modulate β-adrenergic-induced thermogenesis.

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