How beige fat cells in white fat switch between active and inactive states
Regulation of beige adipocyte plasticity in inguinal white adipose tissue.
Scientists want to understand how beige fat cells turn on to burn energy in cold and turn off with warmth or overeating, which could help guide new obesity treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308232 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient viewpoint, the team is digging into the molecular switches inside certain white fat cells that let them become calorie-burning 'beige' cells and later revert back. They will focus on a protein partner pair (HDAC4 and PRDM16) in cells with a history of UCP1 expression and study how this pair controls genes and chromatin. The researchers will also test whether changes in the tissue scaffold (the extracellular matrix) help maintain active beige cells. Most work will use lab models and tissue analyses to trace cell histories and pinpoint druggable pathways.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with obesity or metabolic conditions, or people willing to donate fat tissue for research, would be candidates for related human studies or sample donation.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment changes should not expect direct personal benefit from this basic laboratory-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new drug targets to boost calorie-burning beige fat and improve obesity and metabolic health.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies and some human observations link active beige fat to better metabolism, but targeting the HDAC4:PRDM16-dependent mechanisms is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Biao — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Wang, Biao
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.