Key result
Brown adipose tissue activity linked to significantly lower aortic inflammation in obesity.
Why the study?
Human data on the role of brown adipose tissue in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease are scarce despite preclinical evidence linking BAT to protection against these conditions.
Does cold-induced brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity reduce aortic vascular inflammation and improve circulating anti-atherogenic profiles in individuals with obesity?
Cross-Sectional (n=65)
Does cold-induced brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity reduce aortic vascular inflammation and improve circulating anti-atherogenic profiles in individuals with obesity?
Active cold-induced brown adipose tissue in humans is associated with reduced aortic inflammation and a systemic anti-atherogenic profile, suggesting a protective role against cardiovascular disease.
BAT positivity linked to lower aortic inflammation in obesity; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation before clinical consideration.
Background: Increasing evidence from preclinical models has linked the actions of brown adipose tissue (BAT) with protection against atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, in part due to its salutary effects on systemic lipid composition.However, human data on the role of BAT in atherosclerosis are scarce.Methods: Here, we studied 65 individuals with obesity and analyzed cold-induced BAT activity and vascular inflammation in the aorta using 18F-FDG-PET/CT in combination with systemic lipidomics and proteomics analyses.Results: We identified 21 subjects with cold-induced BAT (BATpos), whereas 44 individuals had no significant BAT activity (BATneg) after cold exposure.Both groups had similar age, sex distribution, body mass index, and classical cardiovascular risk profile.However, BATpos individuals had significantly less arterial inflammation as evidenced by lower 18F-FDG uptake in the ascending aorta and the aortic arch.Notably, BAT volume, SUVmean, and cold-induced thermogenesis correlated negatively with aortic inflammation, suggesting an athero-protective role of BAT.Using unbiased lipidomics and proteomics analyses in plasma, we found that anti-inflammatory and potentially anti-atherogenic circulating factors such as cytochrome P450 oxylipin products and the serpin family member SERPINB12 were increased in BATpos, whereas pro-atherogenic and pro-thrombotic factors including acute-phase protein orosomucoid 2 (ORM2), apolipoprotein D (APOD), and fibrinogen A and B were significantly lower in individuals with active BAT.Likewise, the circulating concentrations of inflammatory markers such as interleukin-6 were reduced in BATpos versus BATneg.Conclusion: Together, these data link human BAT function with protection against arterial inflammation and a potentially anti-atherogenic and anti-inflammatory circulating profile.
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A 2026 study conducted a cross-sectional in Obesity (n=65). Cold-induced brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity vs. No significant BAT activity was evaluated on Arterial inflammation (18F-FDG uptake in the ascending aorta and the aortic arch). Cold-induced brown adipose tissue activity (n=21) was associated with significantly less aortic inflammation compared to no significant activity (n=44) in individuals with obesity.
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