Extended Data Fig. 4: Fertilization in cold season increases adaptive cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT) in association with BAT activity.
From: Pre-fertilization-origin preservation of brown fat-mediated energy expenditure in humans
(a) Schematic illustration of the crossover study design to measure CIT in summer (Jul., Aug., Sep.) and winter (Dec., Jan., Feb., Mar.) in Cohort 3 (n = 42). (b) Correlations between fat-free mass (FFM) and whole-body energy expenditure (EE) at thermoneutral 27°C and after cold exposure at 19°C for 2 hr in a. Left, EE measured in summer. Right, EE measured in winter. (c) Participant profile of the warm birth and cold birth groups and the warm fertilization and cold fertilization groups of Cohort 3. (d) BAT activity as the SUV of FDG for subjects in c. Left, the warm birth group (n = 23) and cold birth group (n = 19). Right, the warm fertilization group (n = 14) and cold fertilization group (n = 28). (e) Whole-body EE adjusted for FFM of the warm and cold birth groups at thermoneutral condition (27°C) and after 2-hr cold exposure (19°C) measured in summer. Warm birth group (n = 23); cold birth group (n = 19). (f) CIT of the warm and cold birth groups measured in summer in e. (g) Whole-body EE adjusted for FFM of the warm and cold fertilization groups at thermoneutral condition (27°C) and after 2-hr cold exposure (19°C) measured in summer. Warm fertilization group (n = 14); cold fertilization group (n = 28). (h) CIT of the warm and cold fertilization groups measured in summer in g. (i) Correlations of BAT activity with CIT measured in summer (left) and in winter (right). (j) Correlations of FFM with CIT measured in summer (left) and in winter (right). (b-j) Biologically independent samples. (c-h) Data are mean ± s.e.m.; two-tailed P values by unpaired Student’s t-test. (b, i, j) Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) and two-tailed P values.
