Topics and Trends in Most Cited Adipose Tissue and Metabolism Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited Adipose Tissue and Metabolism research in the Class of 2026?

Adipose tissue research shifted sharply toward organelle energetics and single-cell resolution in 2024. Mitochondrial dysfunction (10%) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (8%) experienced rapid growth, while energy expenditure (12%) doubled. Conversely, classical themes like fatty acid β-oxidation (10%) and broad metabolomics (4%) saw reduced relative focus.

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Updated July 22, 2026

At a glance

Field
Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
8,101
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Insulin resistance, energy expenditure, thermogenesis, mitochondrial dysfunction, multi-omics
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
54–439
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 8,101
43918m citations

Tirzepatide for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity

Atul Malhotra et al.New England Journal of Medicine202410.1056/nejmoa2404881

Atul MalhotraUniversity of California, San Diego, United States

tirzepatideobstructive sleep apneaObesityapnea-hypopnea indexpositive airway pressurehypoxic burdenC-reactive proteinsystolic blood pressuresleep-related patient-reported outcomesBody mass indexcardiovascular complicationsgastrointestinal adverse events
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#2 of 8,101
31018m citations

Nonlinear dynamics of multi-omics profiles during human aging

Xiaotao Shen, Chuchu Wang et al.Nature Aging202410.1038/s43587-024-00692-2

M SnyderStanford University, United States

nonlinear aging dynamicsMulti-omicslongitudinal cohort studyAging biomarker44-year transition point60-year transition pointimmune regulationcarbohydrate metabolismcardiovascular disease pathwayslipid metabolismalcohol metabolismage-related molecular dysregulationHealthspanaging-related disease risk accelerationfunctional pathway transitions
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#3 of 8,101
20118m citations

Adipose tissue retains an epigenetic memory of obesity after weight loss

Laura C Hinte, Daniel Castellano-Castillo et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-08165-7

Ferdinand von MeyennETH Zurich, Switzerland

epigenetic memoryAdipose tissueweight lossObesitySingle-nucleus RNA sequencingAdipocyteobesogenic memoryrebound weight gainyo-yo effecthigh-fat dietTranscriptional profilingepigenome alterationsmetabolic stimuli responseweight maintenanceAdipocyte functionMouse modelhuman adipose tissue
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#4 of 8,101
17318m citations

Inhibition of IL-11 signalling extends mammalian healthspan and lifespan

Anissa A Widjaja, Wei-Wen Lim et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-07701-9

Anissa A. Widjaja, Stuart A. CookDuke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore

IL-11IL-11 signallingIL11ra1ERK-AMPK-mTORC1 axismetabolic declinemulti-morbidityfrailtyAging biomarkeranti-IL-11 therapygenetic deletionlifespan extensionHealthspanpro-inflammatory cytokineIL-6 familymuscle functionfibrotic lung diseaseAgingtissue-level ageingorganismal-level ageing
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#5 of 8,101
14418m citations

Temporal dynamics of the multi-omic response to endurance exercise training

MoTrPAC Study Group et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-023-06877-w

Sue C. Bodine, Karyn A. Esser, Simon Schenk, Stephen B. Montgomery, M Snyder, Steven A. Carr, Matthew T. WheelerStanford University, United States

Endurance trainingMulti-omicstranscriptomeproteomeMetabolomicsLipidomicsphosphoproteomeacetylproteomeubiquitylproteomeepigenomeimmunomeRattus norvegicustemporal dynamicstissue-specific molecular alterationssex differencesmitochondrial pathwaysadaptive responsesFatty liver diseaseinflammatory bowel diseaseMoTrPAC
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#6 of 8,101
13418m citations

Hypoxia induces mitochondrial protein lactylation to limit oxidative phosphorylation

Yunzi Mao, Jiaojiao Zhang, Qian Zhou, Xiadi He et al.Cell Research202410.1038/s41422-023-00864-6

Wei Xu, Shimin ZhaoThe Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, China

mitochondrial protein lactylationOxidative phosphorylationphysiological hypoxiaAARS2lysine lactyltransferasePHD2proline 377 hydroxylationproteasomal degradationPDHA1pyruvate dehydrogenase complexPDHA1 lysine 336 lactylationCPT2carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2CPT2 lysine 457/458 lactylationSIRT3acetyl-CoA influxFatty acid β-oxidationlactate oxidationexercise-induced hypoxia
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#7 of 8,101
13018m citations

Lipid droplets and cellular lipid flux

Alyssa J Mathiowetz et al.Nature Cell Biology202410.1038/s41556-024-01364-4

James A. OlzmannUniversity of California, Berkeley, United States

Lipid dropletscellular lipid fluxlipid metabolismTriglyceride storagephospholipid metabolismlipolysisFatty acid transportOrganelle contact sitesLipid droplet metabolismperilipin proteinsFatty acid mobilization
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#8 of 8,101
8118m citations

Overnutrition causes insulin resistance and metabolic disorder through increased sympathetic nervous system activity

Kenichi Sakamoto et al.Cell Metabolism202410.1016/j.cmet.2024.09.012

Christoph BuettnerRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, United States

overnutritioninsulin resistanceMetabolic dysfunctionsympathetic nervous system activitysympathetic hyperactivityglucose homeostasissympathetic outflowautonomic nervous systemdiet-induced obesitycatecholamine signalingadrenergic receptorssympathetic denervationmetabolic syndromeneuronal regulation of metabolism
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#10 of 8,101
7618m citations

Acquisition of epithelial plasticity in human chronic liver disease

Christopher Gribben, Vasileios Galanakis et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-07465-2

Michael Allison, Irina Mohorianu, Ludovic VallierUniversity of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Single-nucleus RNA sequencingFatty liver diseasehepatocyte zonationbiliary tree reorganizationhepatocyte-cholangiocyte transdifferentiationcellular plasticitycholangiocyte organoidsPI3K-AKT-mTOR pathwayInsulin signalingchronic liver injuryliver regeneration3D imagingepithelial plasticityHepatocytescholangiocytesliver architecture remodelingchronic disease progression
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#11 of 8,101
7418m citations

Glycolytic enzyme PFKL governs lipolysis by promoting lipid droplet–mitochondria tethering to enhance β-oxidation and tumor cell proliferation

Ying Meng, Dong Guo, Liming Lin et al.Nature Metabolism202410.1038/s42255-024-01047-2

Daqian Xu, Zhimin LuZhejiang University, China

PFKLlipid droplet–mitochondria tetheringFatty acid β-oxidationglucose deprivationPFKL phosphorylationPLIN2PLIN2 phosphorylationCPT1Aadipose triglyceride lipaseFatty acid mobilizationmoonlight functionMetabolic stressliver tumorglycolysis-lipid metabolism integrationOxidative metabolism
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#12 of 8,101
7218m citations

Obesity causes mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction in white adipocytes due to RalA activation

Wenmin Xia et al.Nature Metabolism202410.1038/s42255-024-00978-0

Alan R. SaltielUniversity of California San Diego, United States

Mitochondrial fissionwhite adipocytesRalAhigh-fat dietmitochondrial dysfunctioninsulin resistanceFatty liver diseaseOxidative metabolismDrp1Ser637 phosphorylationFatty acid β-oxidationenergy expenditureMitochondrial dynamicsinguinal white adipocytessmall GTPaseAdipose tissueMetabolic dysfunction
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#13 of 8,101
7218m citations

Trigonelline is an NAD+ precursor that improves muscle function during ageing and is reduced in human sarcopenia

Mathieu Membrez et al.Nature Metabolism202410.1038/s42255-024-00997-x

Vincenzo Sorrentino, Jérôme N. FeigeNestlé Research, Switzerland

trigonellineNAD+ precursorMuscle wastingmitochondrial dysfunctionskeletal muscle ageingnicotinic acidCaenorhabditis elegansprimary myotubesGPR109Anicotinate phosphoribosyltransferasePreiss–Handler pathwayOxidative metabolismmitochondrial biogenesissirtuinmuscle strengthOxidative phosphorylationserum trigonelline levelsisotopically labelled trigonellinedietary supplementation
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#14 of 8,101
7018m citations

Cardiometabolic characteristics of people with metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity

Max C Petersen et al.Cell Metabolism202410.1016/j.cmet.2024.03.002

Samuel KleinWashington University in St. Louis, United States

metabolically healthy obesitymetabolically unhealthy obesitycardiometabolic characteristicsobesity phenotypesmetabolic health statuscardiovascular risk factorsinsulin resistanceLipid profilesblood pressureinflammatory markersbody compositionvisceral adiposityglucose metabolismadipose tissue dysfunction
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#15 of 8,101
6718m citations

Environmental concentrations of 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone induce hepatic lipid metabolism disorders in male black-spotted frogs

Zhiquan Liu et al.Journal of Hazardous Materials202410.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136400

Liping Lu, Hangjun ZhangHangzhou Normal University, China

6PPD6PPD-quinoneblack-spotted frogshepatic lipid metabolism disordersenvironmental concentrationstire rubber antioxidantamphibian toxicologyEctopic fat depositionlipid metabolism genesaquatic pollution
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#16 of 8,101
6218m citations

Leptin-activated hypothalamic BNC2 neurons acutely suppress food intake

Han L Tan et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-08108-2

Jeffrey M. FriedmanThe Rockefeller University, United States

leptinBNC2 neuronsbasonuclin 2Feeding suppressionAGRP neuronsagouti-related proteinPOMC neuronspro-opiomelanocortinarcuate nucleusleptin receptorsappetite regulationplace preferencepositive valencesensory food cuesnutritional statushyperphagiaObesityEnergy balanceneural circuitleptin receptor knockout
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#18 of 8,101
5918m citations

BCAA-nitrogen flux in brown fat controls metabolic health independent of thermogenesis

Anthony R P Verkerke et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2024.03.030

Shingo KajimuraBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, United States

Brown adipose tissueBAT thermogenesisbranched-chain amino acidsBCAA catabolismmitochondrial BCAA carriersMBC deletioninsulin resistanceenergy expenditureBCAA-nitrogen fluxnon-essential amino acid biosynthesisglutathione biosynthesisoxidative stressInsulin signalingBCAA-derived metaboliteshigh-fat dietcold activationtype 2 diabetesglucose homeostasisbrown adipocytesmetabolite-mediated pathway
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#19 of 8,101
5918m citations

Unveiling adipose populations linked to metabolic health in obesity

Isabel Reinisch et al.Cell Metabolism202410.1016/j.cmet.2024.11.006

Matthias Blüher, Christian WolfrumETH Zurich, Switzerland

precision medicinemetabolic heterogeneityadipose tissue dysfunctionsubcutaneous adipose tissueVisceral adipose tissuemetabolically healthy obesitymetabolically unhealthy obesitySingle-nucleus RNA sequencingmesothelial cellsAdipocyteAdipose progenitor cellsmesothelial-to-mesenchymal transitioncell-type-specific transcriptional programsCellular atlasmetabolic disease risk
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#20 of 8,101
5418m citations

A β-hydroxybutyrate shunt pathway generates anti-obesity ketone metabolites

Maria Dolores Moya-Garzon et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2024.10.032

Yong Xu, Jonathan Z. LongStanford University, United States

Ketone bodiesBHBCNDP2enzymatic conjugationamino acid BHB-ylationBHB-amino acidsBHB shunt pathwayanti-obesity ketone metabolitesBHB-PheLac-Phehypothalamic neuronsbrainstem neuronsFeeding suppressionCNDP2-KO miceketone ester supplementationketogenic dietEnergy balance
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in Adipose Tissue and Metabolism

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

Research in the Class of 2026 (2024 publications) for Adipose Tissue and Metabolism is anchored by foundational cardiometabolic mechanisms, with insulin resistance leading overall thematic representation across 14% of highly cited studies. Core energetic processes remain central, prominently featuring energy expenditure (12%) and thermogenic regulation (12%), alongside fatty acid β-oxidation (10%) and metabolic dysfunction in fatty liver disease (10%). High-impact literature increasingly investigates organelle-level perturbations, marked by a strong focus on mitochondrial dysfunction (10%), oxidative metabolism (8%), and lipid droplet dynamics (8%). Methodologically, the field exhibits a decisive shift toward high-resolution single-cell and systemic profiling, heavily driven by single-nucleus RNA sequencing (8%) and multi-omics integration (8%). These interconnected themes highlight a broader scientific transition from observational lipid physiology toward precise molecular dissecting of how brown, white, and visceral adipose depots control systemic insulin sensitivity, cellular senescence, and inter-organ metabolic crosstalk under diet-induced stress.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

Comparing the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026 reveals a significant shift from classical descriptive lipid storage toward high-resolution single-cell genomics and organelle energetics. The most dramatic thematic acceleration is led by mitochondrial dysfunction, which rose fivefold from a 2% mention rate in 2023 to 10% in 2024. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing similarly quadrupled to 8%, underscoring the rapid adoption of single-cell transcriptomics to resolve adipose cellular heterogeneity. Furthermore, energy expenditure doubled to 12%, while multi-omics integration and diet-induced obesity models emerged as prominent new drivers in top-cited literature. Conversely, traditional bioenergetic categories experienced relative declines in research concentration. Fatty acid β-oxidation decreased from 16% to 10%, brown adipose tissue dropped from 14% to 8%, and broad metabolomics profiling fell from 12% to 4%. Together, these trajectories demonstrate a structural migration in adipose metabolism research away from global metabolite profiling and toward cell-type-specific transcriptional regulation, mitochondrial quality control, and functional organelle remodeling.

How topics shifted year over year
How topics shifted year over year
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodologyGitHubbioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Adipose Tissue and Metabolism Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/adipose-tissue-and-metabolism/2026. Accessed 2026-07-22.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Source data

The full ranking corpus and analysis files are openly available on an external repository. Please cite the dataset below when reusing this data.

View source dataset →

Pepkio Research Index (2026). Adipose Tissue and Metabolism Ranking Dataset (Class of 2026). Figshare.