Oxidative Stress and Adipose Tissue Metabolism
Summary
Adipose tissue serves not only as an energy reservoir but also as an active endocrine organ, secreting adipokines that regulate systemic metabolism. In obesity and related metabolic disorders, excessive nutrient intake and mitochondrial overload lead to elevated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). When ROS generation outpaces the capacity of antioxidant defences, a state of oxidative stress ensues, triggering lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation and DNA damage. These alterations impair adipocyte differentiation, disrupt insulin signalling and promote a pro-inflammatory milieu via pathways such as NF-κB and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Conversely, redox‐sensitive transcription factors such as Nrf2 and energy sensors like AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) can counterbalance oxidative insults by upregulating antioxidant enzymes and modulating lipid metabolism. The interplay between oxidative stress and adipose tissue function underpins the development of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications. Targeting redox homeostasis through lifestyle interventions, dietary antioxidants and pharmacological agents holds promise for restoring healthy adipose tissue metabolism and mitigating global burdens of obesity-related disease.
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Oxidative Stress and Adipose Tissue Metabolism publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in oxidative stress and adipose tissue metabolism across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Reactive oxygen species: Highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules capable of oxidising lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.
Oxidative stress: Imbalance between ROS production and antioxidant defences resulting in molecular damage.
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress: Accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER that activates the unfolded protein response.
Nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2): Transcription factor that induces expression of antioxidant and cytoprotective genes.
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK): Cellular energy sensor that promotes catabolic pathways and mitochondrial biogenesis under low energy conditions.
Adipokines: Bioactive peptides secreted by adipose tissue that regulate appetite, insulin sensitivity and inflammation.
References
- Effects of N-acetylcysteine on the expressions of UCP1 and factors related to thyroid function in visceral adipose tissue of obese adults: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Genes & Nutrition (2024).
- Hypertrophy and ER Stress Induced by Palmitate Are Counteracted by Mango Peel and Seed Extracts in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
- The Impact of Oxidative Stress on Adipose Tissue Energy Balance. Frontiers in Physiology (2020).
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