The nuclear receptor Rev-erbα controls circadian thermogenic plasticity

Mice lacking the nuclear receptor Rev-erbα demonstrate improved cold tolerance and altered body temperature rhythms.

• Rev-erbα regulates the function of brown adipose tissue, linking daily temperature rhythms with the body's response to cold.
• Mice exposed to cold show better survival at 05:00 when Rev-erbα levels are low compared to 17:00 when levels are high.
• Deletion of Rev-erbα significantly enhances cold tolerance, suggesting it represses essential thermogenic responses.
• Cold exposure leads to a rapid decrease in Rev-erbα levels in brown adipose tissue, preceding the activation of uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1).
• Rev-erbα represses Ucp1 expression specifically in brown adipose cells, resulting in higher Ucp1 levels in Rev-erbα-null mice even under normal temperature conditions.
• Loss of Rev-erbα disrupts regular body temperature and brown adipose activity rhythms, indicating its crucial role in thermoregulation.

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