Abstract
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is functionally linked to skeletal muscle because both tissues originate from a common progenitor cell, but the precise mechanism controlling muscle-to-brown-fat communication is insufficiently understood. This report demonstrates that the immunoglobulin superfamily containing leucine-rich repeat (Islr), a marker of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells, is critical for the control of BAT mitochondrial function and whole-body energy homeostasis. The mice loss of Islr in BAT after cardiotoxin injury resulted in improved mitochondrial function, increased energy expenditure, and enhanced thermogenesis. Importantly, it was found that interleukin-6 (IL-6), as a myokine, participates in this process. Mechanistically, Islr interacts with NADH: Ubiquinone Oxidoreductase Core Subunit S2 (Ndufs2) to regulate IL-6 signaling; consequently, Islr functions as a brake that prevents IL-6 from promoting BAT activity. Together, these findings reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism for muscle-BAT cross talk driven by Islr, Ndufs2, and IL-6 to regulate energy homeostasis, which may be used as a potential therapeutic target in obesity.