MSGID: 1:317/3 6274a482   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Active brown adipose tissue protects against 'pre-prediabetes'    
      
     Date:   
         May 5, 2022   
     Source:   
         Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging   
     Summary:   
         In a prospective study of young, lean adults, PET/CT imaging   
         revealed that higher levels of active brown adipose tissue (also   
         known as 'brown fat') are more prevalent in individuals who exhibit   
         very early indications of metabolic disorders. The study suggests   
         that active brown fat is recruited to counteract 'pre-prediabetic'   
         states, potentially serving as a first-line protective mechanism   
         against very early metabolic or hormonal abnormalities.   
      
      
      
   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   In a prospective study of young, lean adults, PET/CT imaging revealed   
   that higher levels of active brown adipose tissue (also known as   
   "brown fat") are more prevalent in individuals who exhibit very early   
   indications of metabolic disorders. Published ahead of print in The   
   Journal of Nuclear Medicine, the study suggests that active brown fat is   
   recruited to counteract "pre- prediabetic" states, potentially serving   
   as a first-line protective mechanism against very early metabolic or   
   hormonal abnormalities.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Brown fat is a type of fat that is activated when a person gets cold,   
   producing heat to warm the body. The presence of brown fat was initially   
   recognized on oncologic FDG PET/CT scans, which are now the most commonly   
   used technique for the in vivo detection of brown fat. Studies using PET   
   with FDG and/or other fatty-acid tracers have demonstrated that brown   
   fat consumes glucose and fatty acids, making it a potential target for   
   the treatment of obesity and other metabolic disorders.   
      
   "The primary aim of this study was to assess if there are differences in   
   baseline glucose, insulin, lipid, and other metabolite levels between   
   subjects with varying amounts of brown fat. We also examined patient   
   blood samples and lifestyles to assess their association with brown fat   
   levels," noted John P.   
      
   Crandall, BS, clinical research coordinator at the Mallinckrodt Institute   
   of Radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis,   
   Missouri.   
      
   Thirty-four healthy adult volunteers between the ages of 18 and 35   
   and with a body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 25 were enrolled in   
   the study. Blood samples were taken, and lifestyle interviews were   
   performed. To activate the brown fat, participants wore cooling suits to   
   bring their body's temperature to just above the shivering point. After   
   two hours, subjects removed the cooling suits and were imaging with FDG   
   PET/CT. Post-cooling blood samples were also taken after removal of the   
   cooling suits.   
      
   Activated brown fat was analyzed for each subject, and glucose, insulin,   
   lipid and other metabolite levels were correlated with volume and   
   intensity of the active brown fat. Using a median cut-off, participants   
   were classified as having high brown fat levels or low brown fat levels.   
      
   A higher level of activated brown fat was associated with early metabolic   
   dysfunction. Pre-cooling glucose, insulin, thyroid stimulating hormone and   
   triglyceride levels were significantly higher in the high brown fat group   
   than the low brown fat group. In addition, a significant difference in   
   BMI was found, with subjects with high brown fat levels having a higher   
   BMI than subjects with low levels of brown fat. Those with low brown   
   fat levels were more likely to report observing a controlled diet and   
   exercising regularly.   
      
   "Our study suggests brown adipose tissue may considerably influence (and   
   be influenced by) overall metabolic health. Molecular imaging with FDG   
   remains the most useful non-invasive method for studying brown fat in   
   humans," said Richard L. Wahl, MD, FACR, director of the Mallinckrodt   
   Institute of Radiology and chair of the Department of Radiology at   
   Washington University School of Medicine. "Our findings show that   
   molecular imaging potentially may be useful for identifying patients who   
   are at risk of developing metabolic disorders and suggests activation of   
   brown fat is a metabolic coping mechanism in 'pre-pre- diabetes.' Further   
   studies in larger populations are warranted to confirm and expand upon   
   our findings."  This study was made available online in April 2022.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   Society_of_Nuclear_Medicine_and_Molecular_Imaging. Note: Content may be   
   edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. John Crandall, Tyler J Fraum, Richard L. Wahl. Brown adipose   
      tissue: a   
         protective mechanism in "pre-prediabetes"? Journal of Nuclear   
         Medicine, 2022; jnumed.121.263357 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.121.263357   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/05/220505114712.htm   
      
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