SLIT3 Wiring in Brown Fat Boosts Calorie Burning and Heat Production
A Nature Communications study reveals brown fat uses SLIT3 fragments, produced by BMP1, to drive blood vessel and nerve growth essential for thermogenesis. In mice, removing SLIT3 or its receptor PLXNA1 impairs nerve and vascular networks and lowers heat production, while human fat analyses suggest SLIT3 activity may influence obesity and insulin sensitivity, pointing to therapies that increase energy expenditure rather than curb appetite.