Why Is Brown Fat Protective Against Metabolic Disease

Brown adipose tissue (BAT; or “brown fat”) is recognized as a “good” fat with protective effects against cardiometabolic diseases. The best-known function of BAT is thermogenesis by the action of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). For many years, UCP1 was considered to be the sole protein responsible for non-shivering thermogenesis (the process of heat production) in mammals. As such, the metabolic benefit associated with active BAT was thought to be through enhancing UCP1-mediated thermogenesis. However, recent studies identified UCP1-independent pathways that control energy homeostasis. This webinar discussed the current standing of UCP1-independent mechanisms.