Transcriptional control of brown adipocyte differentiation and function by NFIA: recent perspectives on deciphering metabolic diseases.

Abstract

Brown adipocytes dissipate chemical energy as heat and confer protection against type 2 diabetes and obesity. Nuclear factor I-A (NFIA) is a transcription factor that orchestrates the brown fat gene programme by activating cell type-specific enhancers and facilitating the genomic binding of PPARγ, the master regulator of adipogenesis, to these enhancers. NFIA promotes mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and thermogenesis, while reciprocally suppressing adipose tissue inflammation, thereby contributing to the maintenance of glucose and body weight homeostasis in mice. Here the author provides an overview of the identification of NFIA as a pivotal regulator of brown adipocyte biology, elucidates its underlying mechanisms of action, examines its implications for systemic metabolism and outlines future perspectives for research in this field.