Scientists have identified a key biological system that helps brown fat burn energy by building the networks it needs to function.
A protein called SLIT3 splits into two parts, with each piece guiding the growth of blood vessels and nerves inside brown fat. These structures allow the tissue to pull in nutrients and rapidly convert them into heat instead of storing them as fat.
Researchers have discovered how a crucial protein switches on brown fat by helping it build the blood vessels and nerve connections needed for heat production.
The findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest a new way to tackle obesity that focuses on increasing how much energy the body burns instead of reducing appetite.
Brown Fat and How It Burns Calories
Most fat in the body is white fat, which stores excess energy and can contribute to obesity when it accumulates. In contrast, brown fat is present in smaller amounts and plays a specialised role in controlling body temperature and supporting metabolic health.
When exposed to cold, brown fat uses glucose and lipids to produce heat through a process called thermogenesis.
“During thermogenesis, all of that chemical energy is dissipated as heat instead of being stored in the body as white fat,” said Farnaz Shamsi, assistant professor of molecular pathobiology at NYU College of Dentistry and the study’s senior author.
“By rapidly taking up and using fuel sources from our bodies and the food that we eat, brown fat acts like a metabolic sink that draws in nutrients and prevents them from being stored,” added Farnaz Shamsi.
Brown fat relies on dense networks of nerves and blood vessels to do its job. Nerves allow it to receive signals from the brain, which activate the tissue when the body senses cold.
Blood vessels deliver oxygen and nutrients needed to generate heat and help distribute that heat throughout the body. While previous studies have mainly focused on how fat cells produce heat, less attention has been given to how these supporting networks develop and function.
SLIT3 Protein Builds Brown Fat Infrastructure
Earlier research from Shamsi’s lab used single-cell RNA sequencing to identify SLIT3, a protein released by brown fat cells that may help them communicate. Once produced, SLIT3 is split into two separate pieces.