用成熟脂肪建立一种新的猪前体脂肪细胞培养模型

用去分化的成熟脂肪细胞建立一种新的具有再增殖和再分化能力的猪前体脂肪细胞模型. 用“天花板” 培养法分离、培养1～3日龄仔猪皮下成熟脂肪细胞, 显微镜下观察细胞形态变化并计数, 流式细胞术检测细胞周期;油红O染色法检测脂肪细胞分化率, RT-PCR分析前体脂肪细胞标志基因Pref-1及成熟脂肪细胞关键转录因子PPARγ和C/EBPα等mRNA表达情况. 发现刚贴壁的细胞为单室脂滴成熟脂肪细胞, 油红O染色完全阳性; 14d后这种成熟脂肪细胞完全去分化为无脂滴的纤维状细胞, 并表达前体脂肪细胞标志基因Pref-1, 油红O染色阴性. 这种去分化的前体脂肪细胞在成脂诱导剂作用下,可重新分化为成熟的脂肪细胞. 结果证实,成熟脂肪细胞去分化后的前体脂肪细胞可重新增殖、分化为成熟脂肪细胞, 是一种新的有效的前体脂肪细胞模型.     

MicroRNA调控动物脂肪细胞分化研究进展

脂肪组织不仅在维持机体能量代谢和稳态上发挥重要作用,同时也是重要的内分泌器官。脂肪细胞分化是由间充质干细胞(Mesenchymal stem cells, MSC)向成熟脂肪细胞分化的复杂生理过程,该过程由大量转录因子、激素、信号通路分子协同调控。miRNA作为内源性非编码RNA,主要通过抑制转录后翻译等机制来调控基因表达。近年来越来越多的证据表明miRNA通过调控脂肪细胞分化相关的转录因子和重要信号分子进而影响动物脂肪细胞的分化和脂肪形成。本文对miRNA影响动物白色、棕色和米色脂肪细胞分化的作用机制及其相关调控通路和关键因子进行了归纳总结,以期为肥胖等代谢性疾病的治疗提供一定的理论指导和新的治疗思路。     

MicroRNA调控动物脂肪细胞的分化

MicroRNA (miRNA)属于非编码小调节RNA,在动物细胞的增殖、分化、凋亡和代谢等许多生物学过程中具重要作用.研究显示大量miRNA也参与动物脂肪细胞的分化调节,在前体脂肪细胞向成熟脂肪细胞的分化过程中具有多种功能.目前的研究结果表明,这些miRNA在脂肪细胞分化的早期或后期通过其靶基因发挥功能,如miR-17-92和miR-143分别通过其靶基因Rb 2/p 130和ERK 5/BMK 1调节脂肪细胞分化,过表达可促进体外培养的脂肪细胞分化.因此,了解更多miRNA在脂肪细胞分化中的功能,可以加深对动物脂肪形成分子机制的理解,并有可能将其作为脂类代谢性疾病治疗的潜在靶点.     

ROS在脂肪分化中的作用研究新进展

由于肥胖及肥胖相关疾病在全球范围内的广泛流行,明确脂肪组织如何生长非常重要。脂肪组织主要由脂肪细胞分化、脂肪细胞肥大以及脂解作用共同调节。脂肪细胞分化是由多能干细胞或前脂肪细胞分化形成脂肪细胞的一个复杂而又程序化的过程。脂肪细胞的分化过程被分为四个阶段,生长抑制阶段,克隆扩增阶段,早期分化阶段和分化为成熟脂肪细胞表型的终末阶段。来自国内外多个研究的大量数据表明,活性氧(Reactive oxygen species, ROS)可以显著调节脂肪分化的过程进而影响肥胖及相关疾病的发生发展。作为一类重要的高活性分子,ROS在细胞内具有多种来源,主要包括线粒体、NADPH氧化酶、黄嘌呤氧化还原酶、黄嘌呤氧化酶、一氧化氮合酶等。本文回顾近年来的一些文献,对ROS及其生成系统在脂肪细胞分化中的作用进行综述,以期从氧化还原调节的角度明确脂肪细胞分化以及肥胖形成的机制,为肥胖及相关疾病的治疗提供新思路。     

AMPK与脂肪细胞分化的关系研究及其在人脂肪源性肿瘤组织中的表达特点

目的:探讨AMPK在脂肪细胞分化过程中的作用以及与脂滴相关表面蛋白Cidec的表达关系,为肥胖发生及其防治肥胖及肥胖相关性疾病提供重要的理论依据。方法:通过免疫组织化学、Real-time PCR和Western blot等方法分析AMPK和Cidec在脂肪细胞分化中的作用,明确二者的相关性。结果:在不同分化程度的脂肪源性肿瘤组织中,AMPK表达随着脂肪细胞分化程度的升高而表达降低,而Cidec的表达是逐渐增高的;在不同发育阶段的胎儿脂肪组织中,AMPK随着胎龄的增加表达逐渐降低(P0.01),而Cidec的表达则呈逐渐增高的趋势(P0.01);以上AMPKα的表达均与Cidec的表达水平呈负相关。结论:AMPK可能在脂肪细胞分化过程中扮演重要角色,研究其与Cidec的表达与作用关系可能为脂肪细胞发育及分化提供重要线索及依据。     

脂肪细胞的分化及调控

越来越多的研究结果表明脂肪组织不仅仅是被动的能量储存器官 ,而且是能够分泌多种激素类物质的内分泌器官 ;脂肪细胞分化及其调控失常与人类多种疾病如肥胖症、糖尿病、脂肪肝、高脂血症及乳腺癌等密切相关。对脂肪细胞分化机制及其调控的研究 ,不但对于探讨上述重大生命和疾病过程具有重要理论意义 ,而且对于上述疾病的预防与治疗 ,特别是对于在细胞和分子水平上筛选针对上述疾病的药物 ,也具有实际意义。本文从脂肪细胞的起源、前脂肪细胞向脂肪细胞的分化过程、脂肪细胞分化的调控 ,以及对脂肪细胞分化研究应注意的问题等进行了综述 ,以期对脂肪细胞分化及其调控进行全面总结     

脂肪细胞分化及其调控的研究进展

肥胖症等多种代谢疾病在全世界范围内的流行使得人们高度关注脂肪沉积调控的机制研究。在细胞水平上,脂肪组织的沉积是脂肪细胞数目增加和单个细胞体积增大的结果。其中,脂肪细胞数目由多潜能干细胞定向分化为前体脂肪细胞的程度决定,而单个细胞体积则与其分化程度和甘油三酯积累量相关。因此,揭示脂肪细胞分化的细胞和分子机制,将为上述代谢性疾病预防和治疗提供重要的理论基础。本文对脂肪细胞的起源、脂肪细胞分化的体外研究模型、脂肪细胞分化的规律和调控以及脂肪细胞分化研究中关键的问题等方面的研究成果进行总结,综述了近年来关于脂肪细胞分化及其调控的研究进展。     

组蛋白H3甲基转移酶Ezh2与小鼠脂肪细胞分化关系研究

目的:探索组蛋白H3K27me3甲基转移酶Ezh2对小鼠白色、棕色和米色脂肪细胞分化的影响。方法:构建诱导型Ezh2全身敲除小鼠(Ezh2~(flox/flox) CAGcre)并于6周龄时腹腔注射他莫昔芬诱导敲除,以同窝、同性别、相同基因型假诱导(腹腔注射玉米油)小鼠作为对照。诱导完成后在光镜下观察脂肪细胞形态,采用Western Blot法检测脂肪组织中H3K27me3、Ezh2和Ucp1的蛋白表达量。采用Realtime PCR法检测不同部位脂肪组织的脂肪分化相关基因(Pparγ、Adipoq和Fabp4)、棕色脂肪标志基因(Ucp1、Cidea和Prdm16)和米色脂肪标志基因(CD137、Tmem26和Tbx1)的表达。检测敲除组小鼠的冷耐受能力,并予以高脂饮食诱导肥胖,观察小鼠体重增长情况、诱导结束后小鼠的糖耐量和胰岛素敏感性指标。结果:Ezh2敲除小鼠Ezh2和H3K27me3的蛋白含量降低,背部棕色脂肪细胞脂滴明显小于对照组,Ucp1的基因和蛋白表达明显高于对照组(P0.05);敲除组小鼠白色脂肪细胞分化较差,米色脂肪分化增加,米色脂肪的Ucp1和Tbx1基因表达增加(P0.05)。敲除小鼠可以更好地耐受冷刺激,并抵抗高脂饮食诱导的肥胖和胰岛素抵抗。结论:Ezh2在体内促进白色脂肪细胞的分化,抑制棕色和米色脂肪细胞分化。     

脂肪细胞分化过程中的分子事件

脂肪细胞来源于间充质干细胞,其分化过程经历了间充质干细胞、成脂肪细胞、前体脂肪细胞、不成熟脂肪细胞和成熟脂肪细胞几个阶段。现就脂肪细胞分化过程及其标志基因的表达时序和近年来发现的关键新调控基因的研究进展进行综述。     

过表达Sirt2抑制猪前体脂肪细胞的分化

本文旨在利用过表达技术研究Sirt2在猪前体脂肪细胞分化中的作用.首先将Sirt2插入腺病毒穿梭载体pAdTrack-CMV,并与骨架载体pAdEasy-1在大肠杆菌BJ5183中同源重组,重组体用Lipofectamine2000包装转染HEK293细胞系,成功获得重组腺病毒vAd-Sirt2.用vAd-Sirt2感染猪前体脂肪细胞,48h后油红O染色法观察脂肪细胞分化情况,RT-PCR检测脂肪细胞分化标志基因PPARγ和aP2的表达.结果显示,过表达Sirt2促使细胞中脂滴减少,同时标志基因PPARγ、aP2mRNA水平显著降低,说明Sirt2抑制猪前体脂肪细胞分化,这为控制猪体脂沉积提供依据以及为人类肥胖和相关疾病的治疗和预防奠定基础.     

Pref-1 (preadipocyte factor 1) activates the MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway to inhibit adipocyte differentiation

Preadipocyte factor 1 (Pref-1) is found in preadipocytes but is absent in adipocytes. Pref-1 is made as a transmembrane protein but is cleaved to generate a biologically active soluble form. Although Pref-1 inhibition of adipogenesis has been well studied in vitro and in vivo, the signaling pathway for Pref-1 is not known. Here, by using purified soluble Pref-1 in Pref-1 null mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF), we show that Pref-1 increases MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Compared to wild-type MEF, differentiation of Pref-1 null MEF into adipocytes is enhanced, as judged by lipid accumulation and adipocyte marker expression. Both wild-type and Pref-1 null MEF show a transient burst of ERK phosphorylation upon addition of adipogenic agents. Wild-type MEF show a significant, albeit lower, second increase in ERK phosphorylation peaking at day 2. This ERK phosphorylation, corresponding to Pref-1 abundance, is absent during differentiation of Pref-1 null MEF. Prevention of this second increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation in wild-type MEF by the MEK inhibitor PD98059 or by transient depletion of ERK1/2 via small interfering RNA-enhanced adipocyte differentiation. Furthermore, treatment of Pref-1 null MEF with Pref-1 restores this ERK phosphorylation, resulting in inhibition of adipocyte differentiation primarily by preventing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma2 induction. However, in the presence of PD98059 or depletion of ERK1/2, exogenous Pref-1 cannot inhibit adipocyte differentiation in Pref-1 null MEF. We conclude that Pref-1 activates MEK/ERK signaling, which is required for Pref-1 inhibition of adipogenesis.     

Insulin-like growth factor-1/insulin bypasses Pref-1/FA1-mediated inhibition of adipocyte differentiation

Pref-1 is a highly glycosylated Delta-like transmembrane protein containing six epidermal growth factor-like repeats in the extracellular domain. Pref-1 is abundantly expressed in preadipocytes, but expression is down-regulated during adipocyte differentiation. Forced expression of Pref-1 in 3T3-L1 cells was reported to inhibit adipocyte differentiation. Here we show that efficient and regulated processing of Pref-1 occurs in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes releasing most of the extracellular domain as a 50-kDa heterogeneous protein, previously isolated and characterized as FA1. Unexpectedly, we found that forced expression of the soluble form, FA1, or full-length Pref-1 did not inhibit adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells when differentiation was induced by standard treatment with methylisobutylxanthine, dexamethasone, and high concentrations of insulin. However, forced expression of either form of Pref-1/FA1 in 3T3-L1 or 3T3-F442A cells inhibited adipocyte differentiation when insulin or insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was omitted from the differentiation mixture. We demonstrate that the level of the mature form of the IGF-1 receptor is reduced and that IGF-1-dependent activation of p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) is compromised in preadipocytes with forced expression of Pref-1. This is accompanied by suppression of clonal expansion and terminal differentiation. Accordingly, supplementation with insulin or IGF-1 rescued p42/p44 MAPK activation, clonal expansion, and adipocyte differentiation in a dose-dependent manner.     

Ectodomain shedding of preadipocyte factor 1 (Pref-1) by tumor necrosis factor alpha converting enzyme (TACE) and inhibition of adipocyte differentiation

Preadipocyte factor 1 (Pref-1), an epidermal growth factor repeat containing transmembrane protein found in the preadipocytes, inhibits adipocyte differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Here, we examined the processing of membrane form of Pref-1A to release the 50-kDa soluble form that inhibits adipocyte differentiation. The ectodomain cleavage of Pref-1 is markedly enhanced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The basal and stimulated cleavage is inhibited by the broad metalloproteinase inhibitor GM6001, a fact that suggests that cleavage of membrane Pref-1A is dependent on a metalloproteinase. Next, we showed that release of soluble Pref-1A is inhibited by TAPI-0 and by a tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3, TIMP-3, that can inhibit tumor necrosis factor alpha converting enzyme (TACE), but not by TIMP-1 or TIMP-2. On the other hand, overexpression of TACE increases Pref-1 cleavage to produce the 50-kDa soluble form. Furthermore, this cleavage was not detected in cells with TACE mutation or with TACE small interfering RNA. TACE-mediated shedding of Pref-1 ectodomain inhibits adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells and in Pref-1-null mouse embryo fibroblasts transduced with Pref-1A. Identification of TACE as the major protease responsible for conversion of membrane-bound Pref-1 to the biologically active diffusible form provides a new insight into Pref-1 function in adipocyte differentiation.     

Expression regulation and function of Pref-1 during adipogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)

Preadipocyte Factor 1 (Pref-1), also known as Delta-like Protein 1 (DLK-1) is an epidermal growth factor-like domain-containing trans-membrane protein that is involved in adipogenesis and cell fate decision. Its function in adipogenesis is reported inconsistently based on different cellular model systems. Here, by using human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), we show that Pref-1 is modulated by both dexamethasone and 3-isobutyl-1methylxanthine (IBMX), two components of the adipogenic induction mixture during the adipogenesis in vitro. IBMX induces the expression of Pref-1 in a time- and dose-dependent manner through cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP independent pathway and attenuates adipocyte differentiation by down-regulating PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma) expression. Dexamethasone, on the other hand, is capable of subduing the inhibitory effect of IBMX-induced Pref-1 and initiating the adipogenesis by up-regulating PPARγ expression. Moreover, the treatment of IBMX or dexamethasone alone fails to develop MSCs into mature adipocytes, however, treating cells with both IBMX and dexamethasone leads to a complete adipocyte differentiation as evaluated by lipid-droplet formation. Taken together, our study demonstrates that IBMX accelerates accumulation of lipid in MSCs only under the circumstance that the negative effect of Pref-1 induced by IBMX on the adipogenesis is overcome by dexamethasone.     

Mice lacking paternally expressed Pref-1/Dlk1 display growth retardation and accelerated adiposity

Preadipocyte factor 1 (Pref-1/Dlk1) inhibits in vitro adipocyte differentiation and has been recently reported to be a paternally expressed imprinted gene at human chromosome 14q32. Studies on human chromosome 14 deletions and maternal uniparental disomy (mUPD) 14 suggest that misexpression of a yet-to-be-identified imprinted gene or genes present on chromosome 14 causes congenital disorders. We generated Pref-1 knockout mice to assess the role of Pref-1 in growth and in vivo adipogenesis and to determine the contribution of Pref-1 in mUPD. Pref-1-null mice display growth retardation, obesity, blepharophimosis, skeletal malformation, and increased serum lipid metabolites. Furthermore, the phenotypes observed in Pref-1-null mice are present in heterozygotes that harbor a paternally inherited, but not in those with a maternally inherited pref-1-null allele. Our results demonstrate that Pref-1 is indeed paternally expressed and is important for normal development and for homeostasis of adipose tissue mass. We also suggest that Pref-1 is responsible for most of the symptoms observed in mouse mUPD12 and human mUPD14. Pref-1-null mice may be a model for obesity and other pathologies of human mUPD14.     

Adipocyte differentiation is modulated by secreted delta-like (dlk) variants and requires the expression of membrane-associated dlk

Previous studies demonstrate that the delta-like (dlk) and preadipocyte factor 1 (Pref-1) genes encode similar proteins. Pref-1 is downregulated during adipocyte differentiation, and expression of ectopic Pref-1 inhibits adipogenesis. We explored whether dlk functions similarly to Pref-1 and studied the role of alternately spliced dlk variants encoding membrane-associated or -secreted forms. We also studied whether enforced downregulation of dlk/Pref-1 may enhance the differentiation response of non-committed cells. Ectopic expression of a potentially secreted dlk variant, conditioned media from dlk expressing cells or several individual epidermal-growth-factor-dlk peptides inhibited 3T3-L1 differentiation. This demonstrates that dlk and Pref-1 are functionally equivalent. dlk gene mRNA encoding for secreted variants decreased much faster than total dlk gene mRNA during differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. In fact, total dlk or membrane-associated dlk protein expression increased during the first hours of differentiation. Cells sorted for lowest levels of dlk protein diminished or lost their ability to differentiate. These data suggest that membrane and secreted dlk protein variants play opposite roles in the control of adipogenesis. In addition, enforced downregulation of dlk protein expression in the weakly adipogenic Balb/c 3T3 cell line dramatically enhanced adipogenesis in response to insulin. These results indicate that dlk protein not only participates in processes leading to inhibition of adipogenesis but that the control of its expression and different spliced variants is essential for the adipogenic response to extracellular signals.     

Characterization of a proximal element in the rat preadipocyte factor-1 (Pref-1) gene promoter.

Preadipocyte factor-1 (Pref-1) was shown to negatively regulate adipocyte differentiation. We recently reported that ZOG, a rat homolog of Pref-1, was specifically expressed in the adrenal zona glomerulosa. Results of the investigation of Pref-1 expression in preadipocyte and in undifferentiated adrenal cortex suggested that down-regulation of Pref-1 gene was closely correlated with the differentiation process. In this study we demonstrate that an upstream region (from -76 to -47) of the rat Pref-1 gene was essential for its expression in adrenocortical carcinoma-derived H295R cells. A nucleotide sequence found in this region, GCGTGGGCGTGGGCGGGGG (Egr/GC-box), seemed to contain three elements, two early growth response (Egr) elements and one GC-box, overlapping each other. Mutations of four or five nucleotides in a 7-nucleotides-stretch in the midst of the Egr/GC-box eliminated the binding of Sp1/3, abolished the activation by Egr-factor(s) and diminished the Pref-1 promoter activity. When mutations were introduced into the outside of the middle portion, the binding of Sp1/3 to the Egr/GC-box was abolished similarly. However, the decrease in the promoter activity was less than that found with the construct mutated at the middle. These results indicated that an element present at the 7-nucleotides-stretch in the midst of the Egr/GC-box might be important for the Pref-1 promoter activity, and this proximal element was possibly activated by a still-unidentified nuclear factor(s). This element would function as the promoter of the Pref-1 gene in H295R cells, but not in HeLa cells.