Extended Data Fig. 5: Prolonged breastfeeding activates brown fat thermogenesis after weaning.
From: Prolonged breastfeeding protects from obesity by hypothalamic action of hepatic FGF21
Prolonged suckling (delayed weaning) decreases body weight while activates BAT thermogenesis in rats with only one week of HFD. a, Timeline of the experimental protocol. b–n, Effects of delayed weaning on body weight at 3 weeks (b); body weight at 4 weeks (c); body weight at 5 weeks (d); body weight change (e), body temperature at 4 weeks (f), infrared thermal images and quantification of BAT interscapular temperature at 4 weeks (g); quantification of immunolabeling for UCP1 in BAT at 4 weeks (h); BAT protein levels of PGC1α and UCP1 at 4 weeks (i); body temperature at 5 weeks (j), infrared thermal images and quantification of BAT interscapular temperature at 5 weeks (k); cumulative food intake HFD between week 4 and 5 (l); quantification of immunolabeling for UCP1 in BAT at 5 weeks (m); BAT protein levels of PGC1α and UCP1 at 5 weeks (n). Protein data were expressed in relation (%) to control (SW) animals. β-actin was used to normalize protein levels. Dividing lines indicate splicing within the same gel. Values are represented as means ± SEM, n per group indicated in each figure. Exact P values are shown. Statistical differences according to a two-sided Student’s t-test (normal data) (b, d, e, f, h, j, k, l and m), a two-sided Mann-Whitney U-test (non-normal data and non-homogeneous variance) (c, g, i and n).
