Abstract
The prevalence of obesity-related disease has increased in Japan. The development of innovative treatments and prophylaxes is still required. Activation of thermogenic adipocytes has been considered as an attractive target for weight loss and the treatment of metabolic disease. Adipose tissue is characterized as either white adipose tissue (WAT) or brown adipose tissue (BAT). WAT serves as the site for energy storage, whereas BAT functions as a radiator for thermogenesis. Recently, brown adipocytes and beige adipocytes, which constitute BAT, are paid a lot of attention as a target for anti-obesity drugs. These adipocytes are distributed around the clavicle and scapula of humans and have a high expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and a large number of mitochondria containing UCP1. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ co-activator-1 α (PGC1- α) plays an important role in the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and the expression of thermogenic genes including UCP1. We have found that α- andδ-tocopherols upregulate PGC-1 α gene expression in mammalian adipocytes and that they promote thermogenic adipocyte differentiation. Our present findings have suggested that α- andδ-tocopherols have a potential ability to prevent obesity and obesity-related disease by enhancing energy consumption in adipocytes. Herein, the author will introduce the anti-obesity effects of tocopherols and their mechanism.
