McGill University scientists report that glycerol released during cold-induced fat breakdown can activate the enzyme tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), switching on a creatine-based energy-dissipating pathway in brown fat. The findings were published May 12, 2026 in Nature and may also inform research into bone disorders linked to TNAP.
Scientists at McGill University say they have identified a molecular trigger that activates an alternative heat-producing pathway in brown fat, the heat-generating tissue involved in maintaining body temperature.
According to a McGill University release distributed by ScienceDaily, the team found that glycerol—produced when stored fat is broken down during cold exposure—binds to and activates tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP). The researchers report that this activation turns on the so-called “futile creatine cycle,” a creatine-dependent process that can dissipate energy and generate heat alongside the better-known thermogenic machinery in brown fat.
The work, published in Nature on May 12, 2026, links the mechanism to bone biology as well. TNAP is widely recognized for its role in bone mineralization, and the researchers argue that understanding how glycerol influences TNAP could help guide future studies of bone diseases tied to reduced TNAP activity, including hypophosphatasia.
