The skinny on CCN2

The CCN family of matricellular proteins directly or indirectly affects development and differentiation. A recent report written by Tan and colleagues (Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 295: C740–C751 2008) shows that CCN2 inhibits adipocyte differentiation. This commentary summarizes these observations

Involvement of matrix metalloproteinases in the adipose conversion of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

When mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes are induced to differentiate into adipocytes, they change from an extended fibroblast-like morphology to a rounded one. This change most likely occurs through extracellular matrix remodelling, a process known to be mediated in part by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). In this study, we have shown by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR, zymographic and immunoblot analysis that MMP-2, MMP-9 and membrane type 1 (MT1)-MMP are regulated during adipose conversion. To assess the importance of MMPs for adipocytic differentiation we have used MMP-specific inhibitors as well as neutralizing antibodies. Treatment of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with the broad MMP inhibitor Ilomastat or the more restricted MMP-2 Inhibitor I prevented their differentiation into adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, as evidenced by absence of triglyceride accumulation. Inhibitor treatment prevented the fibronectin-network degradation, as well as the induction of the genes for peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor gamma and adipsin, two adipocyte phenotype markers. Inhibitor treatment was effective when applied during the early stages of adipocytic conversion, whereas inhibitor treatment during later stages had little effect. Inhibitor treatment did not inhibit clonal mitotic expansion; nor did it affect the expression pattern of the adipogenic transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPbeta) or its nuclear translocation. It did, however, markedly reduce C/EBPbeta DNA-binding capacity. Taken together, these results suggest that MMPs, and notably MMP-2 and MMP-9, may be necessary mediators of adipocytic differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells

A targeted deletion/insertion in the mouse Pcsk1 locus is associated with homozygous embryo preimplantation lethality, mutant allele preferential transmission and heterozygous female susceptibility to dietary fat

AbstractProprotein convertase 1 (PC1) is a neuroendocrine proteinase involved in the proteolytic activation of precursors to hormones and neuropeptides. To determine the physiological importance of PC1, we produced a mutant mouse from embryonic stem cells in which its locus (Pcsk1) had been inactivated by homologous recombination. The inactivating mutation consisted of a 32.7-kb internal deletion and a 1.8 kb insertion of the bacterial neomycin resistance gene (neo) under the mouse phosphoglycerate kinase 1 protein (PGKneo). Intercross of Pcsk1+/− mice produced no Pcsk1−/− offspring or blastocysts; in addition, more than 80% of the offspring were Pcsk1+/−. These observations suggested that the mutation caused preimplantation lethality of homozygous embryos and preferential transmission of the mutant allele. Interestingly, RT–PCR analysis on RNA from endocrine tissues from Pcsk1+/− mice revealed the presence of aberrant transcripts specifying the N-terminal half of the PC1 propeptide fused to neo gene product. Mass spectrometric profiles of proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides in the anterior pituitary were similar between Pcsk1+/− and Pcsk1+/+ mice, but significantly different between male and female mice of the same genotype. Relative to their wild-type counterparts, female mutant mice exhibited stunted growth under a low fat diet, and catch-up growth under a high-fat diet. The complex phenotype exhibited by this Pcsk1 mutant mouse model may be due to PC1 deficiency aggravated by expression of aberrant gene products from the mutant allele

Fat fibrosis: friend or foe?

At the simplest level, obesity is the manifestation of an imbalance between caloric intake and expenditure; however, the pathophysiological mechanisms that govern the development of obesity and associated complications are enormously complex. Fibrosis within the adipose tissue compartment is one such factor that may influence the development of obesity and/or obesity-related comorbidities. Furthermore, the functional consequences of adipose tissue fibrosis are a matter of considerable debate, with evidence that fibrosis serves both adaptive and maladaptive roles. Tissue fibrosis itself is incompletely understood, and multiple cellular and molecular pathways are involved in the development, maintenance, and resolution of the fibrotic state. Within the context of obesity, fibrosis influences molecular and cellular events that relate to adipocytes, inflammatory cells, inflammatory mediators, and supporting adipose stromal tissue. In this Review, we explore what is known about the interplay between the development of adipose tissue fibrosis and obesity, with a view toward future investigative and therapeutic avenues