Obesity is a growing threat. In recent years, the finding of functional brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adult humans implemented the studies of anti-obesity therapies based on triggering energy expenditure. The activation of BAT thermogenesis and the recruitment of brite (brown-in-white) adipocytes are under noradrenergic control. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), if centrally administered, enhances thermogenesis through sympathetic activation, but its direct effect on adipocytes is still unclear. The phenotypic change from fat storing to thermogenic adipocytes is recognized by the presence of multilocular lipid droplets (LDs) and fissed mitochondria that tend to surround LDs, maximizing the efficiency of fatty acid release for thermogenesis. BDNF treatment on differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes was compared to negative (CTRL) and positive (norepinephrine, NE) controls. BDNF significantly increased small globular mitochondria percentage (>150% CTRL), while the area surface and elongation index of branched tubules were respectively 55% and 10% lower than NE. Canonical discriminant analysis of mitochondria morphological data clearly separated differentially treated cells with 85% of the total variance. The expression of brown markers and mitochondrial dynamic genes was significantly affected by BDNF. Investigating the pathways involved in adipocyte BDNF stimulation could clarify its role in thermogenesis and its possible local regulation.

肥胖是一种日益严重的威胁。近年来，在成年人中发现功能性棕色脂肪组织（BAT）的研究基于触发能量消耗进行了抗肥胖疗法的研究。BAT生热的激活和白血球（白褐色）脂肪细胞的募集处于去甲肾上腺素能的控制之下。如果集中给药，脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）可通过交感神经激活来增强生热作用，但其对脂肪细胞的直接作用仍不清楚。从脂肪存储到产热脂肪细胞的表型变化被多脂类脂滴（LDs）和裂变的线粒体（其倾向于围绕LDs）的存在所识别，从而最大限度地释放了用于热生成的脂肪酸释放效率。BDNF治疗分化的3T3-L1脂肪细胞与阴性（CTRL）和阳性（去甲肾上腺素，NE）对照进行了比较。BDNF显着增加了小球状线粒体百分比（> 150％CTRL），而分支小管的表面积和伸长指数分别比NE低55％和10％。线粒体形态数据的规范判别分析清楚地区分了差异处理的细胞，其总方差为85％。BDNF显着影响棕色标志物的表达和线粒体动态基因。研究参与脂肪细胞BDNF刺激的途径可以阐明其在生热中的作用及其可能的局部调控。分支小管的表面积和伸长指数分别比NE低55％和10％。线粒体形态数据的规范判别分析清楚地区分了差异处理的细胞，其总方差为85％。BDNF显着影响棕色标志物的表达和线粒体动态基因。研究参与脂肪细胞BDNF刺激的途径可以阐明其在生热中的作用及其可能的局部调控。分支小管的表面积和伸长指数分别比NE低55％和10％。线粒体形态数据的规范判别分析清楚地区分了差异处理的细胞，其总方差为85％。BDNF显着影响棕色标志物的表达和线粒体动态基因。研究参与脂肪细胞BDNF刺激的途径可以阐明其在生热中的作用及其可能的局部调控。