Researchers at Scripps Research have discovered, sensory neurons that can send messages between adipose tissue and the brain shedding light on their role in fat burning.
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Scientists have long known that mammalian fat has nerves in it. However, they assumed that the nerves in adipose tissue are only connected to the sympathetic nervous system, which controls our body’s automatic and unconscious responses, such as fat burning during stress and physical activity.
In fact, the study showed that we have a sensory nervous system that transmits messages the other way, from the adipose tissue to the brain. “The discovery of these neurons shows for the first time that the brain actively monitors adipose tissue and is not just passively receiving messages about it,” Li Ye, co-author of the study and associate professor of neuroscience at Scripps Research, explains in a statement.
Understanding the role of sensory neurons
However, studying neurons deep in adipose tissue was more difficult than in the brain because it is difficult to see or stimulate these nerves. Therefore, the researchers used two new methods. One method produces transparent tissue by using solvents to remove molecules that make the tissue opaque. In mice, the researchers found that almost half of the fat neurons were not involved in the sympathetic nervous system, but in the sensory nervous system.
Retrograde vector optimized for organ tracing (ROOT) another new technique allowed them to understand the role of these sensory neurons in adipose tissue. It allows targeting subsets of neurons and destroying them. When used, suppression of adipose sensory messages in mice led to an increase in adipose tissue, in particular brown fat. Since this fat helps our body convert sugar and other fats into heat, the mice also had a higher body temperature.
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Regulation of fat burning
“This tells us that there is not just one single message that the brain sends to the fat tissue,” says Li Ye. It’s more nuanced: these two types of neurons act as both accelerators and brakes of fat burning.
In fact, sensory neurons involved in adipose tissue regulate fat by acting as a brake on the sympathetic nervous system. In contrast, sympathetic neurons are necessary to activate fat burning and brown fat production.
Although the researchers believe that this communication is important for maintaining “healthy fat,” it remains an open question what messages the sensory neurons transmit from adipose tissue to the brain. In the future, the team plans to investigate what these neurons detect and whether similar cells are present in other internal organs.
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References
The role of somatosensory innervation of adipose tissues
Scripps Research scientists eavesdrop on communication between fat and brain
