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Cold stimulation regulates lipid metabolism and the secretion of exosomes from subcutaneous adipose tissue in mice

KE Shuo¹, XU Li², SHI Rui-Xue¹, WANG Jia-Qi¹, CUI Le¹, JI Yuan¹, LI Jing¹, JIANG Xiao-Hong^1,*

¹School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China；²Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China

Abstract

Cold has been a long-term survival challenge in the evolutionary process of mammals. In response to cold stress, in addition to brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipating energy as heat through glucose and lipid oxidation to maintain body temperature, cold stimulation can strongly activate thermogenesis and energy expenditure in beige fat cells, which are widely distributed in the subcutaneous layer. However, the effects of cold stimulation on other tissues and systemic lipid metabolism remain unclear. Our previous research indicated that, under cold stress, BAT not only produces heat but also secretes numerous exosomes to mediate BAT-liver crosstalk. Whether subcutaneous fat has a similar mechanism is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the alterations in lipid metabolism across various tissues under cold exposure and to explore whether subcutaneous fat regulates systemic glucose and lipid metabolism via exosomes, thereby elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of lipid metabolism homeostasis under physiological stress. RT-qPCR, Western blot, and H&E staining methods were used to investigate the physiological changes in lipid metabolism in the serum, liver, epididymal white adipose tissue, and subcutaneous fat of mice under cold stimulation. The results revealed that cold exposure significantly enhanced the thermogenic activity of subcutaneous adipose tissue and markedly increased exosome secretion. These exosomes were efficiently taken up by hepatocytes, where they profoundly influenced hepatic lipid metabolism, as evidenced by alterations in the expression levels of key genes involved in lipid synthesis and catabolism pathways. This study has unveiled a novel mechanism by which subcutaneous fat regulates lipid metabolism through exosome secretion under cold stimulation, providing new insights into the systemic regulatory role of beige adipocytes under cold stress and offering a theoretical basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies for obesity and metabolic diseases. 

Key words: subcutaneous adipose tissue; cold exposure; lipid metabolism; exosomes

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 姜晓宏　　E-mail:

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2025.0022

Citing This Article：

KE Shuo, XU Li, SHI Rui-Xue, WANG Jia-Qi, CUI Le, JI Yuan, LI Jing, JIANG Xiao-Hong. Cold stimulation regulates lipid metabolism and the secretion of exosomes from subcutaneous adipose tissue in mice. Acta Physiol Sin 2025; 77 (2): 231-240 (in Chinese with English abstract).