Metabolic Regulation of Adipose Tissue in Obesity

Adipose tissue is central to energy homeostasis, acting both as a reservoir for triglyceride storage and as an endocrine organ that secretes hormones, cytokines and other bioactive molecules. In obesity, excessive expansion of white adipose depots leads to hypertrophic adipocytes, local hypoxia and immune‐cell infiltration, which together promote chronic low‐grade inflammation and systemic insulin resistance. Dysregulated lipid turnover, characterised by impaired lipolysis and enhanced de novo lipogenesis, exacerbates ectopic fat deposition in liver and muscle. At the same time, recruitment of thermogenic beige and brown adipocytes offers potential routes to increase energy expenditure, yet these cells are often functionally compromised in obese individuals. Key signalling axes that govern adipocyte function include the AMPK–mTOR balance, nuclear receptor PPARγ‐mediated transcriptional control of adipogenesis and lipid handling, and the NAD⁺-dependent deacylase SIRT1, which integrates nutrient sensing with mitochondrial biogenesis. Understanding how these interconnected pathways are perturbed in obesity underpins efforts to restore healthy adipose metabolism, alleviate comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes and inform the design of novel therapeutic or lifestyle interventions.

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Metabolic Regulation of Adipose Tissue in Obesity publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in metabolic regulation of adipose tissue in obesity across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Adipocyte: A fat cell specialised for the storage of neutral lipids and secretion of hormones that regulate energy balance.

Lipolysis: The enzymatic breakdown of triglycerides within adipocytes into free fatty acids and glycerol for export and oxidation.

Thermogenesis: Heat production by adipose tissue, primarily mediated by uncoupling proteins in mitochondria of brown or beige adipocytes.

Insulin resistance: A diminished capacity of cells, including adipocytes, to respond to the regulatory action of insulin on glucose uptake and lipid metabolism.

AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK): A cellular energy sensor that promotes catabolic pathways, including fatty acid oxidation, when ATP levels are low.

Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1): A NAD⁺-dependent deacetylase that links nutrient availability to transcriptional programmes controlling mitochondrial biogenesis and lipid metabolism.

References

1. A natural sustained-intestinal release formulation of red chili pepper extracted capsaicinoids (Capsifen®) safely modulates energy balance and endurance performance: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Frontiers in Nutrition (2024).
2. Novel Multi-Ingredient Supplement Facilitates Weight Loss and Improves Body Composition in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients (2023).