Hormonal
In human visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, p38α (Mapk14) mRNA levels inversely correlate with Body Mass Index (BMI) and positively correlate with UCP1 expression.
Humans with higher BMI tend to have lower levels of p38α mRNA in their fat tissue, and this lower level is linked to lower levels of the fat-burning protein UCP1. This suggests that restoring p38α might not be the direct solution, as its role is complex (inhibitory in BAT), but it highlights a biomarker of reduced fat-burning capacity in obesity.
p38α was reduced in visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue of subjects with obesity and was inversely correlated with body mass index (BMI).
Why this rating
Observational human data with significant sample sizes (n=71 visceral, n=168 subcutaneous), but correlation does not equal causation.
Source
p38α blocks brown adipose tissue thermogenesis through p38δ inhibition
Nuria Matesanz et al. · PLoS Biology · 2018
DOI 10.1371/journal.pbio.2004455
More from this paper
- Deletion of the p38α kinase in adipose tissue protects against high-fat diet-induced obesity by increasing energy expenditure and brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis.Good
- The p38δ kinase isoform promotes brown adipose tissue thermogenesis, and its deletion leads to obesity and reduced energy expenditure.Good
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