Figure 4.

Adipocyte‐specific CD146 knockout (CD146^AT‐KO) enhances energy expenditure and BAT function. A) Food intake of CD146^AT‐KO and CD146^flox/flox control mice fed an HFD measured daily (n = 5 per group). Oxygen consumption B), carbon dioxide production C), respiratory quotient D), and energy expenditure E) of CD146^AT‐KO and CD146^flox/flox control mice fed an HFD (n = 4 per group). F) Representative images (top) and H&E staining (bottom) of BAT from CD146^AT‐KO and CD146^flox/flox control mice fed an HFD. Scale bar, 200 µm. BAT weight G) and mass H) of CD146^AT‐KO and CD146^flox/flox control mice fed an HFD (n = 3 per group). I) Representative images of BAT mitochondria from CD146^AT‐KO and CD146^flox/flox control mice fed an HFD. Scale bar, 1 µm. J) Ratio of mitochondria to cytosol area in CD146^AT‐KO and CD146^flox/flox control mice fed an HFD. K) Western blot showing UCP1 expression in BAT from CD146^AT‐KO and CD146^flox/flox control mice fed with HFD. L) RT‐qPCR showing the expression of thermogenesis and fatty acid oxidation (FAO)‐related genes in BAT from CD146^AT‐KO and CD146^flox/flox control mice fed an HFD (n = 3 per group). M) Oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in mitochondria from CD146^AT‐KO and CD146^flox/flox control BAT. N) UCP1‐dependent respiration calculated from (M). Data represent the mean ± SEM. P values were determined using Student's t‐tests.