Trigonelline attenuates the adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells

Trigonelline is a natural alkaloid mainly found in Trigonella Foenum Graecum (fenugreek) Fabaceae and other edible plants with a variety of medicinal applications. Therefore, we investigated the molecular mechanism of trigonelline (TG) on the inhibition of adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. Trigonelline suppressed lipid droplet accumulation in a concentration (75 and 100 μM) dependent manner. Treatment of adipocyte with of TG down regulates the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ) and CCAAT element binding protein (C/EBP-α) mRNA expression, which leads to further down regulation of other gene such as adiponectin, adipogenin, leptin, resistin and adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (aP2) as compared with respective control cells on 5th and 10th day of differentiation. Further, addition of triognelline along with troglitazone to the adipocyte attenuated the troglitazone effects on PPARγ mediated differentiation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. Trigonelline might compete against troglitazone for its binding to the PPARγ. In addition, adipocyte treated with trigonelline and isoproterenol separately. Isoproterenol, a lipolytic agent which inhibits the fatty acid synthase and GLUT-4 transporter expression via cAMP mediated pathway, we found that similar magnitude response of fatty acid synthase and GLUT-4 transporter expression in trigonelline treated adipocyte. These results suggest that the trigonelline inhibits the adipogenesis by its influences on the expression PPARγ, which leads to subsequent down regulation of PPAR-γ mediated pathway during adipogenesis. Our findings provide key approach to the mechanism underlying the anti-adipogenic activity of trigonelline.     

Lipid droplets fusion in adipocyte differentiated 3T3-L1 cells: A Monte Carlo simulation

Several human worldwide diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, hepatic steatosis, atherosclerosis and other metabolic pathologies are related to the excessive accumulation of lipids in cells. Lipids accumulate in spherical cellular inclusions called lipid droplets (LDs) whose sizes range from fraction to one hundred of micrometers in adipocytes. It has been suggested that LDs can grow in size due to a fusion process by which a larger LD is obtained with spherical shape and volume equal to the sum of the progenitors’ ones. In this study, the size distribution of two populations of LDs was analyzed in immature and mature (5-days differentiated) 3T3-L1 adipocytes (first and second populations, respectively) after Oil Red O staining. A Monte Carlo simulation of interaction between LDs has been developed in order to quantify the size distribution and the number of fusion events needed to obtain the distribution of the second population size starting from the first one. Four models are presented here based on different kinds of interaction: a surface weighted interaction (R2 Model), a volume weighted interaction (R3 Model), a random interaction (Random model) and an interaction related to the place where the LDs are born (Nearest Model). The last two models mimic quite well the behavior found in the experimental data. This work represents a first step in developing numerical simulations of the LDs growth process. Due to the complex phenomena involving LDs (absorption, growth through additional neutral lipid deposition in existing droplets, de novo formation and catabolism) the study focuses on the fusion process. The results suggest that, to obtain the observed size distribution, a number of fusion events comparable with the number of LDs themselves is needed. Moreover the MC approach results a powerful tool for investigating the LDs growth process.     

Citrus auraptene acts as an agonist for PPARs and enhances adiponectin production and MCP-1 reduction in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Citrus fruit compounds have many health-enhancing effects. In this study, using a luciferase ligand assay system, we showed that citrus auraptene activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α and PPARγ. Auraptene induced up-regulation of adiponectin expression and increased the ratio of the amount of high-molecular-weight multimers of adiponectin to the total adiponectin. In contrast, auraptene suppressed monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Experiments using PPARγ antagonist demonstrated that these effects on regulation of adiponectin and MCP-1 expression were caused by PPARγ activations. The results indicate that auraptene activates PPARγ in adipocytes to control adipocytekines such as adiponectin and MCP-1 and suggest that the consumption of citrus fruits, which contain auraptene can lead to a partial prevention of lipid and glucose metabolism abnormalities.     

Identification of anti-adipogenic proteins in adult bovine serum suppressing 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation

Adipocyte differentiation is a complex developmental process forming adipocytes from various precursor cells. The murine 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cell line has been most frequently used in the studies of adipocyte differentiation. Differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes includes a medium containing fetal bovine serum (FBS) with hormonal induction. In this study, we observed that differentiation medium containing adult bovine serum (ABS) instead of FBS did not support differentiation of preadipocytes. Impaired adipocyte differentiation was due to the presence of a serum protein factor in ABS that suppresses differentiation of preadipocytes. Using a proteomic analysis, alpha-2-macroglobulin and paraoxonase/arylesterase 1, which were previously shown to suppress differentiation of preadipocytes, were identified as anti-adipogenic proteins. Although their functional mechanisms have not yet been elucidated, the anti-adipogenic effects of these proteins are discussed. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(12): 582-587]     

Coculture with BJ fibroblast cells inhibits the adipogenesis and lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells

Mouse or human fibroblasts are commonly used as feeder cells to prevent differentiation in stem or primary cell culture. In the present study, we addressed whether fibroblasts can affect the differentiation of adipocytes. We found that the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was strongly suppressed when the cells were cocultured with human fibroblast (BJ) cells. BrdU incorporation analysis indicated that mitotic clonal expansion, an early event required for 3T3-L1 cell adipogenesis, was not affected by BJ cells. The 3T3-L1 cell expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ2, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c, and Krüppel-like factor 15, but not those of C/EBPβ or C/EBPδ, were decreased by coculture with BJ cells. When mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes were cocultured with BJ cells, their lipid contents were significantly reduced, with decreased fatty acid synthase expression and increased phosphorylated form of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1. Our data indicate that coculture with BJ fibroblast cells inhibits the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and decreases the lipogenesis of mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes.     

Endothelin-1 inhibits resistin secretion in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Resistin is an adipocyte-derived hormone whose role in the development of insulin resistance is controversial. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a 21 amino acid peptide demonstrated to possess vasoconstrictor, positive inotropic, mitogenic, and metabolic properties. In numerous disease states, including congestive heart failure, obesity, and diabetes, elevated levels of ET-1 have been reported and are thought to contribute to the pathology of the disease. A recent study demonstrated that ET-1 induces the expression and stimulates the secretion of the adipose tissue-derived hormone leptin. However, the effect of ET-1 on resistin secretion has not been determined. To characterize the effect of ET-1 on resistin secretion, 3T3-L1 fibroblasts were differentiated into adipocytes and allowed to mature for 14 days. Cells were incubated for 24h with ET-1 (1-100 nM), insulin (1-100 nM), insulin+ET-1 (100 nM I+E) or the appropriate vehicle or antagonist. At the end of the incubation period, resistin secretion was determined in the media by immunoblotting and densitometric analysis. ET-1 (1-100 nM) significantly decreased basal resistin secretion by 49% (1 nM), 43% (10nM), and 59% (100 nM). Insulin (1-100 nM) produced a concentration-dependent increase in resistin secretion from 3T3-L1 adipocytes (1 nM-42%, 10nM-55%, and 100 nM-86% vs. control). Insulin-stimulated resistin secretion (100 nM) was almost completely inhibited (94%) by ET-1 (100 nM). The effects of ET-1 on resistin protein secretion were inhibited by co-incubation with the ET(A) receptor antagonist BQ-610. In conclusion, our studies demonstrate that basal and hormonal stimulation of resistin secretion by insulin are inhibited by ET-1. Such findings demonstrate that resistin secretion is regulated in a similar manner to other adipose tissue factors, including leptin, in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In addition, our findings suggest that vascular factors such as ET-1 may regulate whole body energy metabolism through adipocyte-derived hormones, including leptin and resistin.     

小鼠3T3-L1前脂肪细胞系的增强绿色荧光蛋白标记

细胞模型是研究细胞分化原理以及进行高通量筛选的有效工具。为了建立特异性标记的脂肪细胞分化模型,构建了包括脂肪细胞分化特异性表达基因PPARγ2的启动子在内的载体（pPPARγ2-promoter-EGFP）,用电穿孔方法转染小鼠3T3L1 前脂肪细胞,用显微荧光观察和RT-PCR确认PPARγ2基因的内源表达。结果显示,EGFP基因成功转入3T3-L1前脂肪细胞,观察到细胞分化过程中EGFP表达和脂肪积累,RTPCR分析表明EGFP代表了稳定而真实的PPARγ2基因的内源性表达。建立了由脂肪组织特异表达基因PPARγ2的表达控制的EGFP标记的小鼠3T3-L1前脂肪细胞系,目前国内外尚未见用同样方法对前脂肪细胞进行特异性标记。该细胞系将为脂肪细胞分化机理研究以及为抗肥胖症和抗糖尿病药物筛选提供有力工具。