Induction of adipocyte thermogenic program by Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinase 2
Tai HC., Li X., Park CJ., Alshaikh A., Yu B., Chen D.
Laboratory Study, published in iScience (2026) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.
Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.
- Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
- Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
- Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
- Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
- Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.
- Study type
- Laboratory Study
- Journal
- iScience (2026)
- Reported sample size
- —
- Source database
- Europe PMC
- PMID
- 41890962
- PMCID
- PMC13014674
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115225
Abstract (original English)
Beige adipocytes develop within subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT) and contribute to thermogenesis, vital for survival during cold exposure. Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinase (ROCK) inhibitors have been found to promote white adipocyte differentiation. However, the adipocyte-specific role of ROCK2, the predominant ROCK isoform in adipocytes, in cold-induced thermogenesis is uncertain. Here, we show that ROCK2 in adipocytes is necessary for cold-induced adaptive beiging and thermogenesis. Cold exposure triggered a rapid ROCK activation in both sWAT and interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT) from wild-type mice. Mice lacking ROCK2 expression in adipocytes exhibited less cold-induced beige adipocyte development in sWAT and reduced thermogenesis in iBAT. In sWAT, cold-induced upregulation and nuclear translocation of forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) were critical for the ROCK2-mediated expression of thermogenic gene uncoupling protein 1 ( Ucp1 ). Our findings indicate that ROCK2 promotes cold-induced beige adipocyte development and thermogenesis, suggesting that ROCK2 is a critical mediator of energy homeostasis.
What this study does not prove
- • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
- • This is preclinical work; animal or laboratory results cannot be applied to humans.
Evidence level
Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.
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