The role and mechanism of UPRmt in adipocytes

Obesity is one of the most significant health challenges today, with its prevalence increasing rapidly worldwide. The associated inflammatory state is a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and sleep apnoea, putting immense pressure on global healthcare systems. Abnormal accumulation or dysfunction of adipose tissue can lead to obesity, which is a major risk factor for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) serves as a critical adaptive mechanism that safeguards cellular homoeostasis during mitochondrial proteostatic stress by orchestrating the expression of chaperones, proteases, and metabolic regulators to restore protein folding capacity and mitigate organelle dysfunction. This review discusses the role of UPRmt in adipocytes, a key player in maintaining metabolic homoeostasis and thermogenesis. Understanding UPRmt's mechanisms could offer novel therapeutic strategies to combat obesity and its complications.