Cold-responsive adipocyte progenitors couple adrenergic signaling to immune cell activation to promote beige adipocyte accrual

The full array of cold-responsive cell types within white adipose tissue that drive thermogenic beige adipocyte biogenesis remains undefined. We demonstrate that acute cold challenge elicits striking transcriptomic changes specifically within DPP4+ PDGFRβ+ adipocyte precursor cells, including a β-adrenergic receptor CREB-mediated induction in the expression of the prothermogenic cytokine, Il33. Doxycycline-inducible deletion of Il33 in PDGFRβ+ cells at the onset of cold exposure attenuates ILC2 accumulation and beige adipocyte accrual. These studies highlight the multifaceted roles for adipocyte progenitors and the ability of select mesenchymal subpopulations to relay neuronal signals to tissue-resident immune cells in order to regulate tissue plasticity.