The brown fat-specific mitochondrial uncoupling protein (UCP) provides a mechanism for generating heat by uncoupling respiration and oxidative phosphorylation. It Invest. 1995Invest. . 96:2914Invest. -2923
Mice carrying -25 copies of a transgene encoding glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase expressed from 50 to 200 times the level of enzyme produced by a single copy of the normal endogenous gene. The enzyme constituted >50% of the cytoplasmic protein in the brown fat of a transgenic mouse. Young transgenic mice (10 days to 8 weeks of age) appeared physically and reproductively normal; however, at the earliest times analyzed, the amount of brown fat of transgenic mice was greater than that of nontransgenic littermate controls. In contrast, the white fat depots, both subcutaneous and peritoneal, were severely reduced in size.Brown fat in transgenic mice also had larger lipid vacuoles and lower levels of Ucp mRNA, but Ucp mRNA levels were elevated in response to cold. Brown fat hypertrophy and reduction of white fat were particularly pronounced in aged transgenic animals. The results suggest that development of brown and white fat is altered by overexpression of glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.