New Challenges in Research on Adipose Plasticity
“ADIPOBROAD” is a research network devoted to establish multidisciplinary research on adipose tissue plasticity. With the firm purpose of sharing knowledge, access to biological models of basic research and patient samples, ADIPOBROAD is intended to make a qualitative leap in the understanding of adipose plasticity and its pathophysiological implications. In ADIPOBROAD, all members work in close collaboration with a common purpose and with high complementarity.
Key to ADIPOBROAD is the promotion of coordinated research on adipose plasticity applicable to emerging global health challenges, ranging from global warming, gender differences in adipose-related health issue, or adiposity in aging, among others, many of which have not traditionally been addressed from the perspective of adipobiology.


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On January 16 and 17, 2025, the ADIPOBROAD meeting took place in Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona. ADIPOBROAD is a thematic research network supported by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities in Spain. This network brings together 12 research groups from Spain involved in various aspects of research on adipose tissue plasticity and its impact on health. The meeting included participation from all the network's groups and international guests, with more than 60 attendees. Multiple interdisciplinary and collaborative research areas in adipobiology were identified during the meeting.
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The ADIPOBROAD network scientific meeting will be held on 16 and 17 January at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona. The meeting will feature scientific presentations by the research teams that are members of the network and guests from the ETH Zurich (Switzerland), the University of Toronto (Canada), and the Príncipe Felipe Research Institute (Valencia) (see attached program). Sessions are open to the scientific community.
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ADIPOBROAD has established a collaborative initiative with the University of Barcelona, contributing to the postgraduate course titled “Molecular, Cellular, and Pathophysiological Bases of Obesity” as part of the Master's Program in Biomedicine. Interactive lectures were delivered in December 2024 by Dr D. Araujo ( University of Santiago de Compostela), Dr. G. Sánchez-Delgado (University of Granada, J. Ruiz node), A. Castells-Novau (University of Girona, JM Fernández-Real node), M. Todorcevic (Faculty of Pharmacy, UB, L. Herrero node), and FJ Osuna (Hospital Joan XXIII and IRB Pere Virgili, Tarragona, S. Fernández-Veledo node).
Several research teams from our network, led by MM Malagón, G. Fruhbeck, JM Fernández Real, L. Herrero and F. Villarroya, took advantage of the assistance at the 58th European Society for Clinical Scientific Meeting in Barcelona, at XV CIBERobn symposium in Zaragoza and at the 31st European Obesity Congress in Venice in May and June, to organize meetings among groups to plan and develop collaborative activities in the context of the ADIPOBROAD network.
CIBEROBN awards the research project "Molecular adaptations of human brown adipose tissue to overnutrition" with 50.000 euros funding, in the context of intramural collaborative projects led by junior research leaders. The project involves four ADIPOBROAD research teams: G. Sánchez-Delgado (J. Ruiz team, University of Granada), M. Romero (L. Herrero team, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona), R. Cereijo (F. Villarroya team, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona), and M. López (University of Santiago de Compostela). The study will advance in knowledge on the role of brown adipose tissue in energy balance in response to food intake.
Dr. Gema Fruhbkeck is the organizer of "Session 3: Endocrinology and Metabolism" in the "58th Annual Scientific Meeting of the European Society of Clinical Investigation" (https://esci.eu.com/), to be held in Barcelona next June 5-9. The session will cover relevant aspects of research on adipose tissue plasticity in obesity.
The symposium was held in Santiago de Compostela last November. David Araujo, member of the Adipobroad network, led the scientific organization of the Symposium, and F.Villarroya, also from Adipobroad, participated with a presentation on adipose plasticity. The symposium covered clinical and basic science on lipodystrophy diseases, including the involvement of altered adipose plasticity.
Six teams of the Adipobroad network met at Seville to advance in the programming of forthcoming network activities on novel aspects of adipobiology research.
Adipose tissue coregulates cognitive function.
Oliveras-Cañellas N, Castells-Nobau A, de la Vega-Correa L, Latorre-Luque J, Motger-
Albertí A, Arnoriaga-Rodriguez M, Garre-Olmo J, Zapata-Tona C, Coll-Martínez C,
Ramió-Torrentà L, Moreno-Navarrete JM, Puig J, Villarroya F, Ramos R, Casadó-
Anguera V, Martín-García E, Maldonado R, Mayneris-Perxachs J, Fernández-Real
JM.Sci Adv. 2023 Aug 11;9(32):eadg4017. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adg4017.
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Núria Oliveras-Cañellas1 2 3 , José María Moreno-Navarrete1 2 3 4, Paula M Lorenzo4 5, Lourdes Garrido-Sánchez4 6, Sara Becerril4 7, Oriol Rangel4 8, Jèssica Latorre1 2 3 4, Elena de la Calle Vargas1 2 3, Maria Pardo4 9, Victor Valentí4 7, Juan L Romero- Cabrera4 8, Wilfredo Oliva-Olivera6, Camilo Silva4 7, Carlos Diéguez4 10, Francesc Villarroya4 11, Miguel López4 10, Ana B Crujeiras4 5, Luisa-Maria Seoane4 12, José López-Miranda 4 8, Gema Frühbeck4 7, Francisco José Tinahones4 6, José-Manuel Fernández-Real1 2 3 4
Affiliations expand
PMID: 37560997
DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgad469
Downregulated Adipose Tissue Expression of Browning Genes With Increased Environmental Temperatures.
Context: Climate change and global warming have been hypothesized to influence the increased prevalence of obesity worldwide. However, the evidence is scarce.
Objective: We aimed to investigate how outside temperature might affect adipose tissue physiology and metabolic traits.
Methods: The expression of genes involved in thermogenesis/browning and adipogenesis were evaluated (through quantitative polymerase chain reaction) in the subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) from 1083 individuals recruited in 5 different regions of Spain (3 in the North and 2 in the South). Plasma biochemical variables and adiponectin (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were collected through standardized protocols. Mean environmental outdoor
temperatures were obtained from the National Agency of Meteorology. Univariate, multivariate, and artificial intelligence analyses (Boruta algorithm) were performed.
Results: The SAT expression of genes associated with browning (UCP1, PRDM16, and CIDEA) and ADIPOQ were significantly and negatively associated with minimum, average, and maximum temperatures. The latter temperatures were also negatively associated with the expression of genes involved in adipogenesis (FASN, SLC2A4, and PLIN1). Decreased SAT expression of UCP1 and ADIPOQ messenger RNA and circulating adiponectin were observed with increasing temperatures in all individuals as a whole and within participants with obesity in univariate, multivariate, and artificial intelligence analyses. The differences remained statistically significant in individuals without type 2 diabetes and in samples collected during winter.
Conclusion: Decreased adipose tissue expression of genes involved in browning and adiponectin with increased environmental temperatures were observed. Given the North-South gradient of obesity prevalence in these same regions, the present observations could have implications for the relationship of the obesity pandemic with global warming.
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