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Maushart CI, Sun W, Othman A, Ghosh A, Senn JR, Fischer JGW, Madoerin P, Loeliger RC, Benz RM, Takes M, Zech CJ, Chirindel A, Beuschlein F, Reincke M, Wild D, Bieri O, Zamboni N, Wolfrum C, Betz MJ. Effect of high-dose glucocorticoid treatment on human brown adipose tissue activity: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over trial in healthy men. EBioMedicine 2023; 96:104771. [PMID: 37659283 PMCID: PMC10483510 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely applied anti-inflammatory drugs that are associated with adverse metabolic effects including insulin resistance and weight gain. Previous research indicates that GCs may negatively impact brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity in rodents and humans. METHODS We performed a randomised, double-blinded cross-over trial in 16 healthy men (clinicaltrials.govNCT03269747). Participants received 40 mg of prednisone per day for one week or placebo. After a washout period of four weeks, participants crossed-over to the other treatment arm. Primary endpoint was the increase in resting energy expenditure (EE) in response to a mild-cold stimulus (cold-induced thermogenesis, CIT). Secondary outcomes comprised mean 18F-FDG uptake into supraclavicular BAT (SUVmean) as determined by FDG-PET/CT, volume of the BAT depot as well as fat content determined by MRI. The plasma metabolome and the transcriptome of supraclavicular BAT and of skeletal muscle biopsies after each treatment period were analysed. FINDINGS Sixteen participants were recruited to the trial and completed it successfully per protocol. After prednisone treatment resting EE was higher both during warm and cold conditions. However, CIT was similar, 153 kcal/24 h (95% CI 40-266 kcal/24 h) after placebo and 186 kcal/24 h (95% CI 94-277 kcal/24 h, p = 0.38) after prednisone. SUVmean of BAT after cold exposure was not significantly affected by prednisone (3.36 g/ml, 95% CI 2.69-4.02 g/ml, vs 3.07 g/ml, 95% CI 2.52-3.62 g/ml, p = 0.28). Results of plasma metabolomics and BAT transcriptomics corroborated these findings. RNA sequencing of muscle biopsies revealed higher expression of genes involved in calcium cycling. No serious adverse events were reported and adverse events were evenly distributed between the two treatments. INTERPRETATION Prednisone increased EE in healthy men possibly by altering skeletal muscle calcium cycling. Cold-induced BAT activity was not affected by GC treatment, which indicates that the unfavourable metabolic effects of GCs are independent from thermogenic adipocytes. FUNDING Grants from Swiss National Science Foundation (PZ00P3_167823), Bangerter-Rhyner Foundation and from Nora van der Meeuwen-Häfliger Foundation to MJB. A fellowship-grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF211053) to WS. Grants from German Research Foundation (project number: 314061271-TRR 205) and Else Kröner-Fresenius (grant support 2012_A103 and 2015_A228) to MR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Irene Maushart
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Wenfei Sun
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland.
| | - Alaa Othman
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Adhideb Ghosh
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland; Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Jaël Rut Senn
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Jonas Gabriel William Fischer
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Philipp Madoerin
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Rahel Catherina Loeliger
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Robyn Melanie Benz
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Martin Takes
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Christoph Johannes Zech
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Alin Chirindel
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Felix Beuschlein
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital Zurich (USZ) and University Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Martin Reincke
- Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Damian Wild
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Oliver Bieri
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Nicola Zamboni
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Christian Wolfrum
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias Johannes Betz
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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Loeliger RC, Maushart CI, Gashi G, Senn JR, Felder M, Becker AS, Müller J, Balaz M, Wolfrum C, Burger IA, Betz MJ. Relation of diet-induced thermogenesis to brown adipose tissue activity in healthy men. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2021; 320:E93-E101. [PMID: 33225717 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00237.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Human brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a thermogenic tissue activated by the sympathetic nervous system in response to cold exposure. It contributes to energy expenditure (EE) and takes up glucose and lipids from the circulation. Studies in rodents suggest that BAT contributes to the transient rise in EE after food intake, so-called diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT). We investigated the relationship between human BAT activity and DIT in response to glucose intake in 17 healthy volunteers. We assessed DIT, cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT), and maximum BAT activity at three separate study visits within 2 wk. DIT was measured by indirect calorimetry during an oral glucose tolerance test. CIT was assessed as the difference in EE after cold exposure of 2-h duration as compared with warm conditions. Maximal activity of BAT was assessed by 18-F-fluoro-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG) 18F-FDG-PET/MRI after cold exposure and concomitant pharmacological stimulation with mirabegron. Seventeen healthy men (mean age = 23.4 yr, mean body mass index = 23.2 kg/m2) participated in the study. EE increased from 1,908 (±181) kcal/24 h to 2,128 (±277) kcal/24 h (P < 0.0001, +11.5%) after mild cold exposure. An oral glucose load increased EE from 1,911 (±165) kcal/24 h to 2,096 (±167) kcal/24 h at 60 min (P < 0.0001, +9.7%). The increase in EE in response to cold was significantly associated with BAT activity (R2 = 0.43, P = 0.004). However, DIT was not associated with BAT activity (R2 = 0.015, P = 0.64). DIT after an oral glucose load was not associated with stimulated 18F-FDG uptake into BAT, suggesting that DIT is independent from BAT activity in humans (Clinicaltrials.gov Registration No. NCT03189511).NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT) was related to BAT activity as determined by FDG-PET/MRI after stimulation of BAT. Diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT) was not related to stimulated BAT activity. Supraclavicular skin temperature was related to CIT but not to DIT. DIT in humans is probably not a function of BAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahel Catherina Loeliger
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Irene Maushart
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gani Gashi
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jaël Rut Senn
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martina Felder
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anton S Becker
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Julian Müller
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Miroslav Balaz
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Christian Wolfrum
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Irene A Burger
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Johannes Betz
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Maushart CI, Senn JR, Loeliger RC, Kraenzlin ME, Müller J, Becker AS, Balaz M, Wolfrum C, Burger IA, Betz MJ. Free Thyroxine Levels are Associated with Cold Induced Thermogenesis in Healthy Euthyroid Individuals. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:666595. [PMID: 34194392 PMCID: PMC8236885 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.666595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid hormone (TH) is an important regulator of mammalian metabolism and facilitates cold induced thermogenesis (CIT) in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Profound hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism lead to alterations in BAT function and CIT. In euthyroid humans the inter-individual variation of thyroid hormones is relatively large. Therefore, we investigated whether levels of free thyroxine (T4) or free triiodothyronine (T3) are positively associated with CIT in euthyroid individuals. We performed an observational study in 79 healthy, euthyroid volunteers (mean age 25.6 years, mean BMI 23.0 kg · m-2). Resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured by indirect calorimetry during warm conditions (EEwarm) and after a mild cold stimulus of two hours (EEcold). CIT was calculated as the difference between EEcold and EEwarm. BAT activity was assessed by 18F-FDG-PET after a mild cold stimulus in a subset of 26 participants. EEcold and CIT were significantly related to levels of free T4 (R2 = 0.11, p=0.0025 and R2 = 0.13, p=0.0011, respectively) but not to free T3 and TSH. Cold induced BAT activity was also associated with levels of free T4 (R2 = 0.21, p=0.018). CIT was approximately fourfold higher in participants in the highest tertile of free T4 as compared to the lowest tertile. Additionally, free T4 was weakly, albeit significantly associated with outdoor temperature seven days prior to the respective study visit (R2 = 0.06, p=0.037). These finding suggests that variations in thyroid hormone levels within the euthyroid range are related to the capability to adapt to cool temperatures and affect energy balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Irene Maushart
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jaël Rut Senn
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rahel Catherina Loeliger
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marius E. Kraenzlin
- SpezialLABOR Hormone - Knochenstoffwechsel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Julian Müller
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anton S. Becker
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Miroslav Balaz
- Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Christian Wolfrum
- Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Irene A. Burger
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Johannes Betz
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Matthias Johannes Betz,
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