SUMMARY A clear relationship exists between visceral obesity and type 2 diabetes, whereas subcutaneous obesity is comparatively benign. Here we show that adipocyte-specific deletion of the coregulatory protein PRDM16 caused minimal effects on classical brown fat but markedly inhibited beige adipocyte function in subcutaneous fat following cold exposure or β3-agonist treatment. These animals developed obesity on a high fat diet, with severe insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. They also showed altered fat distribution with markedly increased subcutaneous adiposity. Subcutaneous adipose tissue in mutant mice acquired many key properties of visceral fat, including decreased thermogenic and increased inflammatory gene expression and increased macrophage accumulation. Transplantation of subcutaneous fat into mice with diet-induced obesity showed a loss of metabolic benefit when tissues were derived from PRDM16 mutant animals. These findings indicate that PRDM16 and beige adipocytes are required for the “browning” of white fat and the healthful effects of subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Current therapies for type 1 diabetes (T1D) involve insulin replacement or transplantation of insulin-secreting tissue, both of which suffer from numerous limitations and complications. Here, we show that subcutaneous transplants of embryonic brown adipose tissue (BAT) can correct T1D in streptozotocin-treated mice (both immune competent and immune deficient) with severely impaired glucose tolerance and significant loss of adipose tissue. BAT transplants result in euglycemia, normalized glucose tolerance, reduced tissue inflammation, and reversal of clinical diabetes markers such as polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia. These effects are independent of insulin but correlate with recovery of the animals’ white adipose tissue. BAT transplants lead to significant increases in adiponectin and leptin, but with levels that are static and not responsive to glucose. Pharmacological blockade of the insulin receptor in BAT transplant mice leads to impaired glucose tolerance, similar to what is seen in nondiabetic animals, indicating that insulin receptor activity plays a role in the reversal of diabetes. One possible candidate for activating the insulin receptor is IGF-1, whose levels are also significantly elevated in BAT transplant mice. Thus, we propose that the combined action of multiple adipokines establishes a new equilibrium in the animal that allows for chronic glycemic control without insulin.

OBJECTIVE-Type 2 diabetes is often accompanied by abnormal blood lipid and lipoprotein levels, but most studies on the link between hyperlipidemia and diabetes have focused on free fatty acids (FFAs). In this study, we examined the relationship between cholesterol and insulin secretion from pancreatic ␤-cells that is independent of the effects of FFAs. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-Several methodswere used to modulate cholesterol levels in intact islets and cultured ␤-cells, including a recently developed mouse model that exhibits elevated cholesterol but normal FFA levels. Acute and metabolic alteration of cholesterol was done using pharmacological reagents.RESULTS-We found a direct link between elevated serum cholesterol and reduced insulin secretion, with normal secretion restored by cholesterol depletion. We further demonstrate that excess cholesterol inhibits secretion by downregulation of metabolism through increased neuronal nitric oxide synthase dimerization.CONCLUSIONS-This direct effect of cholesterol on ␤-cell metabolism opens a novel set of mechanisms that may contribute to ␤-cell dysfunction and the onset of diabetes in obese patients.

The insulin secretory response by pancreatic ␤-cells to an acute "square wave" stimulation by glucose is characterized by a first phase that occurs promptly after exposure to glucose, followed by a decrease to a nadir, and a prolonged second phase. The first phase of release is due to the ATP-sensitive K ؉ (K ATP ) channel-dependent (triggering) pathway that increases [Ca 2؉ ] i and has been thought to discharge the granules from a "readily releasable pool." It follows that the second phase entails the preparation of granules for release, perhaps including translocation and priming for fusion competency before exocytosis. The pathways responsible for the second phase include the K ATP channel-dependent pathway because of the need for elevated [Ca 2؉ ] i and additional signals from K ATP channel-independent pathways. The mechanisms underlying these additional signals are unknown. Current hypotheses include increased cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA, the pyruvatemalate shuttle, glutamate export from mitochondria, and an increased ATP/ADP ratio. In mouse islets, the ␤-cell contains some 13,000 granules, of which ϳ100 are in a "readily releasable" pool. Rates of granule release are slow, e.g., one every 3 s, even at the peak of the first phase of glucose-stimulated release. As both phases of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion can be enhanced by agents such as glucagon-like peptide 1, which increases cyclic AMP levels and protein kinase A activity, or acetylcholine, which increases diacylglycerol levels and protein kinase C activity, a single "readily releasable pool" hypothesis is an inadequate explanation for insulin secretion. Multiple pools available for rapid release or rapid conversion of granules to a rapidly releasable state are required. Diabetes 51 (Suppl. 1):S83-S90, 2002

Gunawardana SC, Piston DW. Insulin-independent reversal of type 1 diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice with brown adipose tissue transplant. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 308: E1043-E1055, 2015. First published April 21, 2015; doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00570.2014.-Traditional therapies for type 1 diabetes (T1D) involve insulin replacement or islet/pancreas transplantation and have numerous limitations. Our previous work demonstrated the ability of embryonic brown adipose tissue (BAT) transplants to establish normoglycemia without insulin in chemically induced models of insulin-deficient diabetes. The current study sought to extend the technique to an autoimmune-mediated T1D model and document the underlying mechanisms. In nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, BAT transplants result in complete reversal of T1D associated with rapid and longlasting euglycemia. In addition, BAT transplants placed prior to the onset of diabetes on NOD mice can prevent or significantly delay the onset of diabetes. As with streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic models, euglycemia is independent of insulin and strongly correlates with decrease of inflammation and increase of adipokines. Plasma insulinlike growth factor-I (IGF-I) is the first hormone to increase following BAT transplants. Adipose tissue of transplant recipients consistently express IGF-I compared with little or no expression in controls, and plasma IGF-I levels show a direct negative correlation with glucose, glucagon, and inflammatory cytokines. Adipogenic and anti-inflammatory properties of IGF-I may stimulate regeneration of new healthy white adipose tissue, which in turn secretes hypoglycemic adipokines that substitute for insulin. IGF-I can also directly decrease blood glucose through activating insulin receptor. These data demonstrate the potential for insulin-independent reversal of autoimmune-induced T1D with BAT transplants and implicate IGF-I as a likely mediator in the resulting equilibrium. type 1 diabetes; brown adipose tissue; insulin independent; transplantation; insulin-like growth factor I TYPE 1 DIABETES (T1D) is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic ␤-cells, resulting in absolute deficiency of insulin and loss of glycemic control. Treatments for T1D, despite having been refined over many years, are geared mainly toward replacing insulin, which involves numerous risks and limitations. Direct insulin replacement via daily injections or insulin pump does not cure the disease and requires life-long repeated administration. In addition to the inconvenience, direct insulin therapy requires careful monitoring of dosage and blood glucose levels and can lead to potentially fatal hypoglycemic episodes. Pancreas transplantation, the only available treatment with a good chance of long-term insulin independence, requires invasive surgery and life-long immunosuppressive therapy. Islet transplantation, although less invasive, is limited by the availability of donor tissue and the need for immunosuppression, and patients often return to insulin dependence in the long...

The underlying mechanisms of glucose-induced timedependent potentiation in the pancreatic ␤-cell are unknown. It had been widely accepted that extracellular Ca 2؉ is essential for this process. However, we consistently observed glucose-induced priming under stringent Ca 2؉ -free conditions, provided that the experiment was conducted in a HEPES-buffered medium as opposed to the bicarbonate (HCO 3 ؊ )-buffered medium used in previous studies. The critical difference between these two buffering systems is that islets maintain a lower intracellular pH in the presence of HEPES. The addition of HEPES to a HCO 3 ؊ -buffered medium produced a dramatic decrease in the intracellular pH. If it is the lower intracellular pH in islets in a HEPESbuffered medium that is permissive for glucose-induced time-dependent potentiation (TDP), then experimental lowering of intracellular pH by other means should allow TDP to occur in a Ca 2؉ -free HCO 3 ؊ -buffered medium, where TDP normally does not occur. As expected, experimental acidification produced by dimethyl amiloride (DMA) allowed glucose to induce TDP in a Ca 2؉ -free HCO 3 ؊ -buffered medium. DMA also enhanced the priming normally present in HEPES-buffered media. Priming was also enhanced by transient acidification caused by acetate. Experimental alkalinization inhibited the development of priming. In the presence of Ca 2؉ , the magnitude of glucose-induced TDP was higher in a HEPES-buffered medium than in an HCO 3 ؊ -buffered medium. In summary, glucose-induced priming was consistently observed under conditions of low intracellular pH and was inhibited with increasing intracellular pH, irrespective of the presence of extracellular Ca 2؉ . These data indicate that glucose-induced TDP is critically dependent on intracellular pH. Diabetes 51: 105-113, 2002

BackgroundMany mechanistic steps underlying nutrient-stimulated insulin secretion (NSIS) are poorly understood. The influence of intracellular pH (pHi) on insulin secretion is widely documented, and can be used as an investigative tool. This study demonstrates previously unknown effects of pHi-alteration on insulin secretion in mouse islets, which may be utilized to correct defects in insulin secretion.MethodsDifferent components of insulin secretion in mouse islets were monitored in the presence and absence of forced changes in pHi. The parameters measured included time-dependent potentiation of insulin secretion by glucose, and direct insulin secretion by different mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial secretagogues. Islet pHi was altered using amiloride, removal of medium Cl-, and changing medium pH. Resulting changes in islet pHi were monitored by confocal microscopy using a pH-sensitive fluorescent indicator. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of the effects of pHi-alteration, cellular NAD(P)H levels were measured using two-photon excitation microscopy (TPEM). Data were analyzed using Student's t test.ResultsTime-dependent potentiation, a function normally absent in mouse islets, can be unmasked by a forced decrease in pHi. The optimal range of pHi for NSIS is 6.4–6.8. Bringing islet pHi to this range enhances insulin secretion by all mitochondrial fuels tested, reverses the inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) by mitochondrial inhibitors, and is associated with increased levels of cellular NAD(P)H.ConclusionsPharmacological alteration of pHi is a potential means to correct the secretory defect in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), since forcing islet pHi to the optimal range enhances NSIS and induces secretory functions that are normally absent.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a critical coenzyme for cellular energy metabolism. The aim of the present study was to determine the importance of brown and white adipose tissue (BAT and WAT) NAD+ metabolism in regulating whole-body thermogenesis and energy metabolism. Accordingly, we generated and analyzed adipocyte-specific nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt) knockout (ANKO) and brown adipocyte-specific Nampt knockout (BANKO) mice because NAMPT is the rate-limiting NAD+ biosynthetic enzyme. We found ANKO mice, which lack NAMPT in both BAT and WAT, had impaired gene programs involved in thermogenesis and mitochondrial function in BAT and a blunted thermogenic (rectal temperature, BAT temperature, and whole-body oxygen consumption) response to acute cold exposure, prolonged fasting, and administration of β-adrenergic agonists (norepinephrine and CL-316243). In addition, the absence of NAMPT in WAT markedly reduced adrenergic-mediated lipolytic activity, likely through inactivation of the NAD+–SIRT1–caveolin-1 axis, which limits an important fuel source fatty acid for BAT thermogenesis. These metabolic abnormalities were rescued by treatment with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), which bypasses the block in NAD+ synthesis induced by NAMPT deficiency. Although BANKO mice, which lack NAMPT in BAT only, had BAT cellular alterations similar to the ANKO mice, BANKO mice had normal thermogenic and lipolytic responses. We also found NAMPT expression in supraclavicular adipose tissue (where human BAT is localized) obtained from human subjects increased during cold exposure, suggesting our finding in rodents could apply to people. These results demonstrate that adipose NAMPT-mediated NAD+ biosynthesis is essential for regulating adaptive thermogenesis, lipolysis, and whole-body energy metabolism.