Mitophagy mediates beige to white transition of human primary subcutaneous adipocytes ex vivo

Brown and beige adipocytes have multilocular lipid droplets, express uncoupling protein (UCP) 1, and promote energy expenditure. In rodents, when the stimulus of browning subsides, parkin-dependent mitophagy is activated and dormant beige adipocytes persist. In humans, however, the molecular events during beige to white transition were not studied in detail. In this study, human primary subcutaneous abdominal preadipocytes were differentiated to beige for 14 days, then either the beige culture conditions were applied for additional 14 days or it was replaced by a white medium. Control white adipocytes were differentiated by their specific cocktail for 28 days. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor {gamma}-driven beige differentiation resulted in increased mitochondrial biogenesis, UCP1 expression, fragmentation, and respiration as compared to white. Morphology, UCP1-content, mitochondrial fragmentation, and basal respiration of the adipocytes that underwent transition, along with the induction of mitophagy, were similar to control white adipocytes. However, white converted beige adipocytes had a stronger responsiveness to dibutyril-cAMP, which mimics adrenergic stimulus, than the control white ones. Gene expression patterns showed that removal of mitochondria in transitioning adipocytes may involve both parkin-dependent and independent pathways. Preventing entry of beige adipocytes into white transition can be a feasible way to maintain elevated thermogenesis and energy expenditure.