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Author

Barbara Cannon

Other affiliations: Heriot-Watt University, Odense University, Max Planck Society  ...read more
Bio: Barbara Cannon is an academic researcher from Stockholm University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Brown adipose tissue & Adipose tissue. The author has an hindex of 78, co-authored 262 publications receiving 28166 citations. Previous affiliations of Barbara Cannon include Heriot-Watt University & Odense University.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The development of brown adipose tissue with its characteristic protein, uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1), was probably determinative for the evolutionary success of mammals, as its thermogenesis enhances neonatal survival and allows for active life even in cold surroundings.
Abstract: Cannon, Barbara, and Jan Nedergaard. Brown Adipose Tissue: Function and Physiological Significance. Physiol Rev 84: 277–359, 2004; 10.1152/physrev.00015.2003.—The function of brown adipose tissue i...

5,470 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that a substantial fraction of adult humans possess active brown adipose tissue that thus has the potential to be of metabolic significance for normal human physiology as well as to become pharmaceutically activated in efforts to combat obesity.
Abstract: The contention that brown adipose tissue is absent in adult man has meant that processes attributed to active brown adipose tissue in experimental animals (mainly rodents), i.e., classical nonshivering thermogenesis, adaptive adrenergic thermogenesis, diet-induced thermogenesis, and antiobesity, should be either absent or attributed to alternative (unknown) mechanisms in man. However, serendipidously, as a consequence of the use of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) to trace tumor metastasis, observations that may change that notion have recently been made. These tomography scans have visualized symmetrical areas of increased tracer uptake in the upper parts of the human body; these areas of uptake correspond to brown adipose tissue. We examine here the published observations from a viewpoint of human physiology. The human depots are somewhat differently located from those in rodents, the main depots being found in the supraclavicular and the neck regions with some additional paravertebral, mediastinal, para-aortic, and suprarenal localizations (but no interscapular). Brown adipose tissue activity in man is acutely cold induced and is stimulated via the sympathetic nervous system. The prevalence of active brown adipose tissue in normal adult man can be only indirectly estimated, but it would seem that the prevalence of active brown adipose tissue in the population may be at least in the range of some tens of percent. We conclude that a substantial fraction of adult humans possess active brown adipose tissue that thus has the potential to be of metabolic significance for normal human physiology as well as to become pharmaceutically activated in efforts to combat obesity.

1,711 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is reported here that chronic treatment with the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonist rosiglitazone promotes not only the expression of PGC-1α and mitochondriogenesis in these cells but also a norepinephrine-augmentable UCP1 gene expression in a significant subset of the cells, providing these cells with a genuine thermogenic capacity.

1,225 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that ambient temperature is qualitatively determinative for the outcome of metabolic studies, that no other protein and no other mechanism can substitute for UCP1 in mediating diet-induced adrenergic thermogenesis, and that U CP1 activity can be determinativeFor obesity development in mice and possibly in humans.

1,211 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that human adults indeed possess BAT and thus imply possibilities of future therapeutic strategies for the treatment of obesity, including maintenance of brown adipocytes and stimulation of the growth of preexisting brown precursors.
Abstract: Classically, adult humans have been considered not to possess active brown adipose tissue (BAT). However, positron-emission-tomography has shown fluorodeoxyglucose uptake that is distributed in such a way (e.g., in the neck) that it would seem to be BAT. Until now this has not been supported by direct evidence that these areas truly represented BAT, that is, the presence of the BAT-unique uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1). Samples of adipose tissue from the neck of 35 patients undergoing surgery for thyroid diseases were obtained and analyzed. In 1/3 of the subjects (the younger and leaner), distinct islands composed of UCP1 immunoreactive brown adipocytes could clearly be discerned, accounting for up to 1/3 of all adipocytes. The brown-adipose islands were richly sympathetically innervated (indicating acute central control); adjacent white adipose areas were not. The capillary density was high, implying a high capacity for oxygen delivery. Cells with features of brown adipocyte precursors were found in pericapillary areas. These data demonstrate that human adults indeed possess BAT and thus imply possibilities of future therapeutic strategies for the treatment of obesity, including maintenance of brown adipocytes and stimulation of the growth of preexisting brown precursors.

699 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
06 Jun 2013-Cell
TL;DR: Nine tentative hallmarks that represent common denominators of aging in different organisms are enumerated, with special emphasis on mammalian aging, to identify pharmaceutical targets to improve human health during aging, with minimal side effects.

9,980 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The development of brown adipose tissue with its characteristic protein, uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1), was probably determinative for the evolutionary success of mammals, as its thermogenesis enhances neonatal survival and allows for active life even in cold surroundings.
Abstract: Cannon, Barbara, and Jan Nedergaard. Brown Adipose Tissue: Function and Physiological Significance. Physiol Rev 84: 277–359, 2004; 10.1152/physrev.00015.2003.—The function of brown adipose tissue i...

5,470 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Defined regions of functionally active brown adipose tissue are present in adult humans, are more frequent in women than in men, and may be quantified noninvasively with the use of (18)F-FDG PET-CT.
Abstract: Background Obesity results from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. In rodents and newborn humans, brown adipose tissue helps regulate energy expenditure by thermogenesis mediated by the expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), but brown adipose tissue has been considered to have no physiologic relevance in adult humans. Methods We analyzed 3640 consecutive 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron-emission tomographic and computed tomographic (PET–CT) scans performed for various diagnostic reasons in 1972 patients for the presence of substantial depots of putative brown adipose tissue. Such depots were defined as collections of tissue that were more than 4 mm in diameter, had the density of adipose tissue according to CT, and had maximal standardized uptake values of 18F-FDG of at least 2.0 g per milliliter, indicating high metabolic activity. Clinical indexes were recorded and compared with those of date-matched controls. Immunostaining for UCP1 was performed on biopsy specimens from t...

3,805 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
20 Mar 1998-Cell
TL;DR: Results indicate that PGC-1 plays a key role in linking nuclear receptors to the transcriptional program of adaptive thermogenesis.

3,654 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Once MMP has been induced, it causes the release of catabolic hydrolases and activators of such enzymes (including those of caspases) from mitochondria, meaning that mitochondria coordinate the late stage of cellular demise.
Abstract: Irrespective of the morphological features of end-stage cell death (that may be apoptotic, necrotic, autophagic, or mitotic), mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP) is frequently the decisive event that delimits the frontier between survival and death. Thus mitochondrial membranes constitute the battleground on which opposing signals combat to seal the cell's fate. Local players that determine the propensity to MMP include the pro- and antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family, proteins from the mitochondrialpermeability transition pore complex, as well as a plethora of interacting partners including mitochondrial lipids. Intermediate metabolites, redox processes, sphingolipids, ion gradients, transcription factors, as well as kinases and phosphatases link lethal and vital signals emanating from distinct subcellular compartments to mitochondria. Thus mitochondria integrate a variety of proapoptotic signals. Once MMP has been induced, it causes the release of catabolic hydrolases and activators of such enzymes (including those of caspases) from mitochondria. These catabolic enzymes as well as the cessation of the bioenergetic and redox functions of mitochondria finally lead to cell death, meaning that mitochondria coordinate the late stage of cellular demise. Pathological cell death induced by ischemia/reperfusion, intoxication with xenobiotics, neurodegenerative diseases, or viral infection also relies on MMP as a critical event. The inhibition of MMP constitutes an important strategy for the pharmaceutical prevention of unwarranted cell death. Conversely, induction of MMP in tumor cells constitutes the goal of anticancer chemotherapy.

3,340 citations