Figure 8

Schematic illustration showing the mechanism of RA-induced WAT browning. Upper: RA binds to RAR/retinoid X receptor heterodimer to activate Vegfa promoter. VEGFA and RA activate P38MAPK, and P38MAPK phosphorylates RAR and directs it to the Prdm16 promoter. Lower: RA activates VEGFA/VEGFR2 signaling to stimulate angiogenesis and increases PDGFRα+ cells; RA and VEGFA/VEGFR2 signaling upregulates Prdm16 to induce white adipose tissue browning.