「ベージュ脂肪」が血圧を抑制する仕組みを発見(How beige fat keeps blood pressure in check)

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2026-01-15 ロックフェラー大学

Rockefeller Universityの研究チームは、ベージュ脂肪細胞が血圧調節に重要な役割を果たすことを明らかにした。ベージュ脂肪は白色脂肪とは異なり、エネルギー消費に関与する脂肪細胞で、寒冷刺激などで活性化される。本研究では、ベージュ脂肪が活性化すると血管機能やホルモン制御に関わるシグナルが変化し、血圧上昇を抑制する仕組みが示された。特に、腎臓や血管系と連動した代謝調節を通じて循環器系に影響を及ぼす点が重要である。これらの知見は、高血圧や代謝性疾患の新たな治療標的としてベージュ脂肪を活用できる可能性を示し、生活習慣病対策への応用が期待される。

「ベージュ脂肪」が血圧を抑制する仕組みを発見(How beige fat keeps blood pressure in check)
A mouse aorta with immunofluorescent tagging, emphasizing the close connection between vasculature and fat. (Credit: Cohen lab)

<関連情報>

Prdm16とベージュ脂肪のアイデンティティの除去は血管リモデリングと血圧上昇を引き起こす Ablation of Prdm16 and beige fat identity causes vascular remodeling and elevated blood pressure

Mascha Koenen, Tobias Becher, Giulia Pagano, Ilaria Del Gaudio, […] , and Paul Cohen
Science  Published:15 Jan 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ady8644

Editor’s summary

Although adiposity is generally correlated with the risk of hypertension, not all adipose tissue is equivalent, and there are two types of metabolically healthier adipose tissue: brown and beige. Of these, beige fat is the more relevant one for adult humans. The protein PRDM16 is known to regulate beige adipocyte biogenesis. Koenen et al. identified a role for PRDM16 in blood pressure regulation (see the Perspective by Grootaert and Luttun). Using mouse models and genetic data from patients, the authors showed that the activity of PRDM16 and the presence of beige fat were necessary for maintaining healthy blood pressure through the secretion of a protein called QSOX1, which is involved in vascular remodeling. Conversely, the loss of PRDM16 caused both depletion of beige adipocytes and dysregulation of blood pressure. —Yevgeniya Nusinovich

Abstract

Excess adiposity is a major risk factor for hypertension and heart disease. Brown fat is associated with protection from cardiovascular pathology, but whether this relationship is causal remains unknown. In this work, we investigate the role of mouse beige fat, as a model of human inducible brown fat, in adipocyte-vascular cross-talk. Using adipocyte-specific Prdm16 knockout mice with a loss of beige adipocyte identity, we discovered marked remodeling of perivascular adipose tissue, increased vascular reactivity, and elevated blood pressure. We show that the circulating enzyme QSOX1 is derepressed in Prdm16-deficient adipocytes, and deletion of Qsox1 in Prdm16 conditional knockout mice prevented vascular fibrosis and normalized vascular reactivity. These results demonstrate a key role for beige adipocytes in blood pressure regulation and identify QSOX1 as an important mediator of adipocyte-vascular cross-talk.

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