The expression and regulation of STATs during 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation

STATs (Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription) comprise a family of transcription factors that reside in the cytoplasm of resting cells. In response to a variety of stimuli, STATs become tyrosine- phosphorylated and translocate to the nucleus where they mediate transcriptional regulation. We have used the 3T3-L1 murine cell line to examine the expression of STAT proteins as a function of their differentiation into adipocytes. The expression of STATs 1, 3, and 5, but not of STAT 6, is markedly elevated in adipocytes as compared with their fibroblast precursors. Exposure of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) blocks their differentiation into adipocytes. Therefore, we examined STAT expression as a function of differentiation in the presence of this cytokine. The expression of STATs 1 and 5 is markedly attenuated in the presence of TNFα, whereas STAT 3 expression is unaffected by this treatment. Only STAT 1 is down-regulated by TNFα in fully differentiated cells. Thus, although the expression of STATs 1, 3, and 5 is markedly enhanced upon differentiation, only STAT 5 expression is tightly correlated with the adipocyte phenotype. These data suggest that STAT 5, and possibly STAT 1, could be potential inducers of tissue-specific genes, which contribute to the development and maintenance of the adipocyte phenotype

Impact of obesity on IL-12 family gene expression in insulin responsive tissues

Mounting evidence has established a role for chronic inflammation in the development of obesity-induced insulin resistance, as genetic ablation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines elevated in obesity improves insulin signaling in vitro and in vivo. Recent evidence further highlights interleukin (IL)-12 family cytokines as prospective inflammatory mediators linking obesity to insulin resistance. In this study, we present empirical evidence demonstrating that IL-12 family related genes are expressed and regulated in insulin-responsive tissues under conditions of obesity. First, we report that respective mRNAs for each of the known members of this cytokine family are expressed within detectable ranges in WAT, skeletal muscle, liver and heart. Second, we show that these cytokines and their cognate receptors are divergently regulated with genetic obesity in a tissue-specific manner. Third, we demonstrate that select IL-12 family cytokines are regulated in WAT in a manner that is dependent on the developmental stage of obesity as well as the inflammatory progression associated with obesity. Fourth, we report that respective mRNAs for IL-12 cytokines and receptors are also expressed and divergently regulated in cultured adipocytes under conditions of inflammatory stress. To our knowledge, this report is the first study to systemically evaluated mRNA expression of all IL-12 family cytokines and receptors in any tissue under conditions of obesity highlighting select family members as potential mediators linking excess nutrient intake to metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance, diabetes and heart disease. © 2012 Elsevier B.V

Mitogen-Dependent Regulation of DUSP1 Governs ERK and p38 Signaling During Early 3T3-L1 Adipocyte Differentiation

© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Knowledge concerning mechanisms that control proliferation and differentiation of preadipocytes is essential to our understanding of adipocyte hyperplasia and the development of obesity. Evidence has shown that temporal regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation and dephosphorylation is critical for coupling extracellular stimuli to cellular growth and differentiation. Using differentiating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes as a model of adipocyte hyperplasia, we examined a role for dual-specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) on the timely modulation of MAPK signaling during states of growth arrest, proliferation, and differentiation. Using real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), we report that DUSP1 is induced during early preadipocyte proliferation concomitant with ERK and p38 dephosphorylation. As deactivation of ERK and p38 is essential for the progression of adipocyte differentiation, we further showed that de novo mRNA synthesis was required for ERK and p38 dephosphorylation, suggesting a role for inducible phosphatases in regulating MAPK signaling. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of DUSP1 markedly increased ERK and p38 phosphorylation during early adipocyte differentiation. Based on these findings, we postulated that loss of DUSP1 would block adipocyte hyperplasia. However, genetic loss of DUSP1 was not sufficient to prevent preadipocyte proliferation or differentiation, suggesting a role for other phosphatases in the regulation of adipogenesis. In support of this, qRT-PCR identified several MAPK-specific DUSPs induced during early (DUSP2, -4, -5, & -6), mid (DUSP4 & -16) and late (DUSP9) stages of adipocyte differentiation. Collectively, these data suggest an important role for DUSPs in regulating MAPK dephosphorylation, with an emphasis on DUSP1, during early adipogenesis

Regulation of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) by effectors of adipogenesis: Coordinate regulation of STATs 1, 5A, and 5B with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and C/AAAT enhancer binding protein-α

We have recently demonstrated that three signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) family members are induced during adipocyte differentiation (Stephens et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271 (1996) 10441- 10444). Since STATs 1, 5A, and 5B are induced during adipocyte differentiation, we have examined the ability of these proteins to be regulated by components of the differentiation cocktail. In addition, we have examined the effects of potent effectors of differentiation on STAT protein expression during adipogenesis. A negative effector, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), and a positive effector, a thiazolidinedione, were used in these experiments. Our results demonstrate that the expression of STATs 1, 5A, and 5B is not dramatically influenced by individual components of the differentiation cocktail. However, the expression of these three STAT family members tightly correlates with lipid accumulation. Moreover, the expression of STATs 1, 5A, and 5B, but not STATs 3 and 6, are regulated in an identical fashion to both C/AAAT enhancer binding proteins α and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ by TNFα and a thiazolidinedione. Furthermore, the expression of adipocyte-expressed JAK kinases are unaffected by effectors of differentiation. These findings suggest that three STAT family members may play a role in the regulation of adipocyte gene expression

Helenalin-mediated Post-transcriptional Regulation of p21(Cip1) Inhibits 3T3-L1 Preadipocyte Proliferation

We have previously shown that post-transcriptional mechanisms involving the 26S proteasome regulate the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs), p21(Cip1) and p27(Kip1) during preadipocyte proliferation. Earlier studies further demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic phytochemical, helenalin is a potent inhibitor of periodic Skp2 accumulation, an F-box protein mediating SCF E3 ligase ubiquitylation and degradation of both CKIs during S phase progression. Data presented here demonstrate that helenalin dose-dependently induced G1 arrest of synchronously replicating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. This effect occurred in the absence of discernable indices of cell toxicity or apoptosis under the conditions used in this study. Our results demonstrate that helenalin markedly increased p21 protein accumulation in both density-arrested and proliferating preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. This increase in p21 protein abundance occurred without change in mRNA transcript demonstrating that post-transcriptional mechanisms were involved. This notion was further supported by the modest accumulation of polyubiquitylated p21 following treatment with helenalin suggesting that suppression of targeted p21 proteolysis by the 26S proteasome contributed to helenalin-mediated p21 accumulation. The increase in p21 protein was compartmentalized to the nucleus where p21 is known to inhibit cell cycle progression. Finally, helenalin increased protein-protein interactions between p21 and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) which may account in part for the anti-proliferative effect in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes

Impact of reference gene selection for target gene normalization on experimental outcome using real-time qRT-PCR in adipocytes

BACKGROUND: With the current rise in obesity-related morbidities, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) has become a widely used method for assessment of genes expressed and regulated by adipocytes. In order to measure accurate changes in relative gene expression and monitor intersample variability, normalization to endogenous control genes that do not change in relative expression is commonly used with qRT-PCR determinations. However, historical evidence has clearly demonstrated that the expression profiles of traditional control genes (e.g., ß-actin, GAPDH, a-tubulin) are differentially regulated across multiple tissue types and experimental conditions. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Therefore, we validated six commonly used endogenous control genes under diverse experimental conditions of inflammatory stress, oxidative stress, synchronous cell cycle progression and cellular differentiation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes using TaqMan qRT-PCR. Under each study condition, we further evaluated the impact of reference gene selection on experimental outcome using examples of target genes relevant to adipocyte function and differentiation. We demonstrate that multiple reference genes are regulated in a condition-specific manner that is not suitable for use in target gene normalization. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Data are presented demonstrating that inappropriate reference gene selection can have profound influence on study conclusions ranging from divergent statistical outcome to inaccurate data interpretation of significant magnitude. This study validated the use of endogenous controls in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and highlights the impact of inappropriate reference gene selection on data interpretation and study conclusions

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Induces Human Adipocyte Delipidation AUTOCRINE/PARACRINE REGULATION OF MEK/ERK SIGNALING BY ADIPOCYTOKINES

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces body fat in animals and some humans. Here we show that trans-10, cis-12 CLA, but not cis-9, trans-11 CLA, when added to cultures of stromal vascular cells containing newly differentiated human adipocytes, caused a time-dependent decrease in triglyceride content, insulin-stimulated glucose and fatty acid uptake, incorporation into lipid, and oxidation compared with controls. In parallel, gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-? and many of its downstream targets were diminished by trans-10, cis-12 CLA, whereas leptin gene expression was increased. Prior to changes in gene expression and metabolism, trans-10, cis-12 CLA caused a robust and sustained activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-related kinase (MEK/ERK) signaling. Furthermore, the trans-10, cis-12 CLA-mediated activation of MEK/ERK could be attenuated by pretreatment with U0126 and pertussis toxin. In parallel, pretreatment with U0126 blocked the ability of trans-10, cis-12 CLA to alter gene expression and attenuate glucose and fatty acid uptake of the cultures. Intriguingly, the induction by CLA of MEK/ERK signaling was linked to hypersecretion of adipocytokines interleukin-6 and interleukin-8. Collectively, these data demonstrate for the first time that trans-10, cis-12 CLA decreases the triglyceride content of newly differentiated human adipocytes by inducing MEK/ERK signaling through the autocrine/paracrine actions of interleukins-6 and 8

Isomer-Specific Regulation of Metabolism and PPARy Signaling by CLA in Human Preadipocytes

Trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has previously been shown to be the CLA isomer responsible for CLA-induced reductions in body fat in animal models, and we have shown that this isomer, but not the cis-9,trans-11 CLA isomer, specifically decreased triglyceride (TG) accumulation in primary human adiopcytes in vitro. Here we investigated the mechanism behind the isomer-specific, CLA-mediated reduction in TG accumulation in differentiating human preadipocytes. Trans-10,cis-12 CLA decreased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and oxidation, and reduced insulin-dependent glucose transporter 4 gene expression. Furthermore, trans-10,cis-12 CLA reduced oleic acid uptake and oxidation when compared with all other treatments. In parallel to CLA’s effects on metabolism, trans-10,cis-12 CLA decreased, whereas cis-9,trans-11 CLA increased, the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ? (PPAR?) and several of its downstream target genes when compared with vehicle controls. Transient transfections demonstrated that both CLA isomers antagonized ligand-dependent activation of PPAR?. Collectively, trans-10,cis-12, but not cis-9, trans-11, CLA decreased glucose and lipid uptake and oxidation and preadipocyte differentiation by altering preadipocyte gene transcription in a manner that appeared to be due, in part, to decreased PPAR? expression

Discovery of the Transiting Planet Kepler-5B

We present 44 days of high duty cycle, ultra precise photometry of the 13th magnitude star Kepler-5 (KIC 8191672, T(eff) = 6300 K, log g = 4.1), which exhibits periodic transits with a depth of 0.7%. Detailed modeling of the transit is consistent with a planetary companion with an orbital period of 3.548460 +/- 0.000032 days and a radius of 1.431(-0.052)(+0.041) R(J). Follow-up radial velocity measurements with the Keck HIRES spectrograph on nine separate nights demonstrate that the planet is more than twice as massive as Jupiter with a mass of 2.114(-0.059)(+0.056) M(J) and a mean density of 0.894 +/- 0.079 g cm(-3).NASA's Science Mission DirectorateAstronom