Brown adipose tissue (BAT) with its thermogenic function due to the presence of the mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), has been positively associated with improved resistance to obesity and metabolic diseases.
This obesity-attenuating effect was caused by a decrease in fat accumulation and an increase in energy expenditure that was partially due to an increase in the expression of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 in brown adipose tissue.
We examined the expression of PGC-1, PPAR gamma, insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), glucose transporter isoform-4 (GLUT-4), and mitochondrial uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle from non-obese, non-diabetic insulin-resistant, and insulin-sensitive individuals.