胰岛素对3T3-L1脂肪细胞中极低密度脂蛋白受体基因表达的影响

体外培养3T3-L1细胞分化模型,研究不同浓度胰岛素及慢性胰岛素刺激对3T3-L1脂肪细胞中极低密度脂蛋白受体（VLDLR）基因表达的影响.在不同浓度胰岛素及胰岛素慢性刺激的干预下,用半定量RT-PCR检测细胞VLDLR mRNA水平的变化.微量化GOD-PAP法检测培养基中残存的葡萄糖.在细胞诱导分化过程中,胰岛素浓度的增高促进VLDLR的表达;胰岛素慢性刺激下,VLDLR表达因浓度差异呈现不同变化.研究结果表明,胰岛素的浓度及慢性刺激对3T3-L1脂肪细胞的成熟和VLDLR基因的表达有显著作用,而胰岛素抵抗明显减低成熟脂肪细胞VLDLR的表达.     

Identification of pyruvate carboxylase in 3T3-L1 cells by transblot and its correlation with differentiation into adipocytes.

The 3T3-L1 preadipocytes treated with insulin, dexamethasone and 3-methyl-1-isobutylxanthine (IBMX) two days before reaching monolayer undergo differentiation into adipocytes. Cell lysates were prepared from these cells under various conditions and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and transblot. Peroxidase-conjugated avidin used to detect endogenous proteins interacted strongly with a protein with an estimated molecular weight of 120 kDa, corresponding to pyruvate carboxylase, in the differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. On the other hand, this protein was not detected in undifferentiated 3T3-L1 cells.     

Prostaglandin F(2)alpha enhances glucose consumption through neither adipocyte differentiation nor GLUT1 expression in 3T3-L1 cells

Arachidonic acid (AA) at 0.2 mM enhances glucose uptake through increased levels of glucose transporter (GLUT) 1 protein in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Since AA is a precursor of prostaglandins (PGs), we investigated the effect of PGs on glucose consumption in 3T3-L1 cells. Among several PGs, only prostaglandin F(2)alpha (PGF(2)alpha) enhanced glucose consumption in 3T3-L1 cells treated with dexamethasone (DEX), 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine (IBMX), and insulin. To study the mechanism of PGF(2)alpha-enhanced glucose consumption, we investigated the effect of PGF(2)alpha on glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity, triglycerides (TGs) content, and the expression of GLUT1 protein. PGF(2)alpha suppressed GPDH activity and did not increase the expression of GLUT1 protein in 3T3-L1 cells treated with DEX, IBMX, and insulin. These results suggest that AA-stimulated glucose uptake is not through the effect of PGF(2)alpha. Our results indicate that PGF(2)alpha is a unique regulator of adipocyte differentiation (suppression) and glucose consumption (enhancement) in 3T3-L1 cells.     

The relationship between alkaline phosphatase activity and intracellular lipid accumulation in murine 3T3-L1 cells and human preadipocytes

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is expressed in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, and its activity increases during adipogenesis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether ALP activity could be used as a measure of intracellular lipid accumulation in human preadipocytes and 3T3-L1 cells and which of the factors that induce adipogenesis are responsible for stimulating ALP activity. Adipogenesis was initiated in 3T3-L1 cells by incubation with differentiation medium containing insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. The effect of leaving out each of the differentiation medium components was studied. Adipogenesis was also assessed in human preadipocytes and 3T3-L1 cells in the presence of the ALP inhibitor histidine. ALP activity was measured using an automated colorimetric assay and intracellular lipid accumulation was measured using the lipid-specific dye oil red O. Removal of insulin or dexamethasone from the differentiation medium had little effect on either ALP activity or lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells, while removal of IBMX blocked both. Histidine inhibited ALP activity and adipogenesis in human preadipocytes and 3T3-L1 cells. Pearson univariate correlation analysis demonstrated strong correlations between ALP activity and lipid accumulation in human preadipocytes (r=0.78, n=69) and in 3T3-L1 cells (r=0.92, n=27). These data suggest that ALP and fat storage are tightly linked during preadipocyte maturation and that the measurement of ALP activity may be a novel technique for the quantification of intracellular lipid accumulation that is more sensitive and rapid than currently used methods.     

Modulation by dexamethasone of the pyruvate dehydrogenase-complex activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Chronic exposure of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes to dexamethasone plus 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) with or without insulin caused a significant increase in the specific activity of 'total' pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) and in the percentage of the 'active' form of the complex compared with cells exposed to a chronic insulin treatment or an acute treatment (2 days) with dexamethasone plus IBMX. In acute-drug-switch-over experiments, dexamethasone also caused an increase in the percentage of 'active' PDC in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The results show that, in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, dexamethasone, even in the absence of insulin, increases the proportion of PDC in its 'active' form. The mechanism of the dexamethasone effect remains to be investigated.     

DNA synthesis and mitotic clonal expansion is not a required step for 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation into adipocytes

Upon differentiation induction of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by a hormone mixture containing 1-isobutyl-3-methylxanthine, dexamethasone, and insulin, the preadipocytes undergo approximately 2 rounds of mitotic clonal expansion, which just precedes the adipogenic gene expression program and has been thought to be an essential early step for differentiation initiation. By inducing 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with each individual hormone, it was determined that the mitotic clonal expansion was induced only by insulin and not by 1-isobutyl-3-methylxanthine or dexamethasone. Cell number counting and fluorescence-activated cell-sorting analysis indicated that a significant fraction of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes differentiated into adipocytes without mitotic clonal expansion when induced with the combination of 1-isobutyl-3-methylxanthine and dexamethasone. Furthermore, when normally induced 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were treated with PD98059 (an inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase 1) to block the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) 1 and Erk2, the mitotic clonal expansion was blocked, but adipocyte differentiation was not affected. These observations were confirmed by bromodeoxyuridine labeling. The differentiated adipocytes induced with 1-isobutyl-3-methylxanthine and dexamethasone or standard hormone mixture plus PD98059 were not labeled by bromodeoxyuridine. Thus, it is evident that 3T3-L1 preadipocytes could differentiate into adipocytes without DNA synthesis and mitotic clonal expansion. Our results also suggested that activation of Erk1 and Erk2 is essential to but not sufficient for induction of mitotic clonal expansion.     

A role for soluble cAMP phosphodiesterases in differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes, monitored by accumulation of neutral lipid and by increase in alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity, is accelerated by incubation of confluent 3T3-L1 fibroblasts in media containing insulin, dexamethasone and isobutylmethylxantine (IBMX). IBMX inhibits cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases as well as the binding of adenosine to its receptor. Agents with relatively specific effects were utilized to examine the role of IBMX in differentiation. Ro 20-1724, a selective inhibitor of soluble cAMP phosphodiesterase activities, was as effective as IBMX in increasing alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity and fat deposition. Neither cilostamide, which inhibits particulate but not soluble cAMP phosphodiesterase activities, 8-phenyltheophylline, an adenosine receptor antagonist with little inhibitory effect on phosphodiesterase activities, nor N6-(R phenyl-isopropyl) adenosine (PIA), a potent adenosine receptor agonist, were effective in promoting differentiation. In addition, we find that maximal increases in alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity and lipid accumulation were observed when differentiation was initiated in the presence of 10 nM dexamethasone. These data suggest that inhibition of soluble cAMP phosphodiesterase activity and subsequent alterations in cAMP may play an important role in the mechanism whereby IBMX enhances differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells.     

Selective changes in enzymes of the sn-glycerol 3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone-phosphate pathways of triacylglycerol biosynthesis during differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes

Enzyme activities of the sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (glycerol-P) and of the dihydroxyacetone-phosphte (DHAP) pathway of glycerolipid biosynthesis were investigated during the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes. Total particulate glycerol-P and DHAP acyltransferase activities increased 70- and 30-fold, respectively, during differentiation induced with methylisobutylxanthine and dexamethasone. The N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive (microsomal) glycerol-P and DHAP acyltransferase activities were virtually undetectable in nondifferentiated cells, and increased in parallel over 70-fold during differentiation. These and several kinetic observations are consistent with the induction of a single microsomal enzyme having dual activity. During differentiaion, the N-ethylmaleimide-resistant DHAP acyltransferase activity increased 10-fold, suggesting the presence of at least two DHAP acyltransferase isoenzymes. Qualitatively similar changes in microsomal glycerol-P and DHAP acyltransferase activities were observed when cell differentiation was induced with insulin or with insulin plus dexamethasone and methylisobutylxanthine. Acyl-DHAP oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.101) specific activity increased only 3- to 5-fold during adipocyte differentiation. Alkyl-DHAP synthase activity was not detected. These data demonstrate that selective changes in enzyme activities of the gycerol-P pathways of glycerolipid synthesis occur during the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.     

Plasminogen activator regulation in osteoblasts: parathyroid hormone inhibition of type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor and its mRNA.

In order to determine the mechanism by which parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulates plasminogen activator (PA) activity in rat osteoblasts, we investigated the effect of human PTH(1-34) [hPTH(1-34)] on the synthesis of mRNAs for tissue-type PA (tPA), urokinase-type PA (uPA), and PA inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and on release of PA activity and PAI-1 protein in both normal rat calvarial osteoblasts and UMR 106-01 osteogenic sarcoma cells. hPTH(1-34) (0.25-25 nM) decreased PAI-1 mRNA and protein, and increased PA activity in both cell types in a dose-dependent manner with ED50 of about 1 nM for both responses. Forskolin and isobutylmethylxanthine also stimulated PA activity and decreased PAI-1 protein and mRNA in both cell types. hPTH(1-34) did not show any consistent effect on tPA and uPA mRNA in calvarial osteoblasts, but a modest (two-fold) increase of both mRNAs was observed in UMR 106-01 cells treated with 25 nM hPTH(1-34). However, when protein synthesis was inhibited with 100 microM cycloheximide, the increase of tPA and uPA mRNA by hPTH(1-34) was enhanced in UMR 106-01 cells and became evident in calvarial osteoblasts. Fibrin autography also revealed that hPTH(1-34) increases tPA and uPA activity, especially after cycloheximide treatment in UMR 106-01 cells. These results strongly suggest that PTH increases PA activity predominantly by decreasing PAI-1 protein production through a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent mechanism in rat osteoblasts. The reduction of PAI-1 protein by PTH results in enhanced action of both tPA and uPA, and would contribute to the specific roles of these PAs in bone.     

Urokinase-type and tissue-type plasminogen activators are essential for in vitro invasion of human melanoma cells

This study evaluates the contribution of two types of plasminogen activators (PAs; tissue-type PA (tPA) versus urokinase-type PA (uPA) toward the invasiveness of human melanoma cells in a novel in vitro assay. We identified two human melanoma cell lines, MelJuso and MeWo, expressing uPA or tPA as shown at mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity level. MelJuso cells produced uPA as well as plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). The latter was, however, not sufficient to neutralize the cell-associated or secreted uPA activity. MeWo cells secreted tPA, but the enzyme was not found to be cell-associated. PAI-1 production by these cells was not detectable. Plasminogen activation and fibrinolytic capacity of both cell lines were reduced by anticatalytic monoclonal antibodies specific for the respective type of PA or by aprotinin. In a novel in vitro invasion assay, antibodies to PA as well as aprotinin decreased the invasiveness of both cell lines into a fibrin gel, Matrigel, or intact extracellular matrix. Our results confirm the importance of uPA-catalyzed plasminogen activation in tumor cell invasiveness. Furthermore, we provide evidence that tPA, beyond its key role in thrombolysis, can also be involved in in vitro invasion of human melanoma cells.     

Tyramine and benzylamine partially but selectively mimic insulin action on adipose differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells

Biogenic amines like tyramine, methylamine and the non-naturally occuring amine, benzylamine, have been described to promote adipose conversion of murine 3T3 preadipocytes. To further investigate these novel effects of amines, we studied whether they selectively mimic the long-term adipogenic action of insulin. To this aim, we decided to use the 3T3-L1 cell line since this model needs a complex combination of inducers to trigger the differentiation programme: insulin, isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX, an activator of cAMP-signal transduction pathway) and the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone. A cell culture protocol was designed, by which each component of the differentiation cocktail was replaced with either benzylamine or tyramine, in order to determine whether these amine oxidase substrates could substitute any of the differentiation inducers in 3T3-L1 cells. The incomplete lipid accumulation found in cells grown under IBMX- or dexamethasone-free conditions was not improved by the daily addition of amines to the culture medium. Insulin was the only component of adipose differentiation cocktail of 3T3-L1 that could be replaced, although partially, by tyramine or benzylamine. When used at 0.5 mM, these amines resulted in a significant increase of triacylglycerol accumulated eight days after confluence, when compared to cells kept without insulin. This partial insulin replacement was totally abolished by SSAO-inhibitors, while MAO-blockade did not reduce lipid accumulation. As previously reported for other insulin-sensitive processes, such as stimulation of glucose transport or lipolysis inhibition in mature adipocytes, the stimulation of adipogenesis by tyramine and benzylamine was an SSAO-dependent mechanism that apparently shared common signaling pathways with insulin.     

Prolonged treatment with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine improves the efficiency of differentiating 3T3-L1 cells into adipocytes

Until now, the low efficiency of current protocols or kits for the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes makes it difficult to continue the studies of the cellular and molecular mechanisms in adipocytes. Here we present a productive and highly efficient protocol for the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells that uses a prolonged treatment with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) during the differentiated process. 3T3-L1 cells of unknown passage +3 and unknown passage +7 treated with a prolonged exposure to IBMX showed significantly increased differentiation efficiency by day 15, in contrast to low levels of differentiation seen with protocols that lacked additional IBMX.     

Changes in IGF-I receptor and IGF-I mRNA during differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) is an essential factor for the differentiation of preadipocytes into adipocytes. We investigated the expression of IGF-I receptor and IGF-I RNA messenger during 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation. Levels of IGF-I receptor decreased in the mature adipocytes compared to cells before the initiation of differentiation. In addition, cultures not induced to differentiate showed a decrease on the receptor levels after 4 days in the presence of insulin compared to cultures without treatment. The levels of the IGF-I RNA messenger were shown to be higher in mature adipocytes compared to preadipocytes. We propose an autocrine and/or paracrine action of IGF-I in this adipocyte differentiation model, where IGF-I produced by the differentiating preadipocytes acts over their adjacent cells and, in this way, diminishes the expression of IGF-I receptor.     

α-Poly-l-lysine functions as an adipogenic inducer in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes

α-Poly-l-lysine (PLL) has been used for various purposes such as cell attachment, immunization, and molecular delivery, and is known to be cytotoxic to several cell lines. Here, we studied the effect of PLL on the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells and investigated the underlying mechanism. Differentiation media containing PLL with a molecular weight (MW) greater than 4 kDa enhanced lipid droplet formation and increased adipogenic marker levels, indicating an increase in adipocyte differentiation. PLL with a molecular weight between 30 and 70 kDa was more effective than PLL of other sizes in 3T3-L1 cell differentiation. Moreover, PLL induced 3T3-L1 adipogenesis in insulin-free adipocyte differentiation medium. Incubation with insulin and PLL exhibited greater adipogenesis than insulin treatment only even at a high concentration. PLL stimulated insulin signaling and augmented the signaling pathway when it was added with insulin. While PLL did not activate the glucocorticoid receptor, which is phosphorylated by dexamethasone (DEX), it showed a positive effect on the cAMP signal pathway when preadipocytes were treated with PLL and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Consistent with these results, incubation with PLL and DEX without IBMX induced adipocyte differentiation. We also observed that the mitotic clonal expansion phase was the critical stage in adipogenesis for inducing the effects of PLL. These results suggest that PLL functions as an adipogenic inducer in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and PLL has a direct effect on insulin signaling, one of the main regulatory pathways.