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Title: THE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR GATA2 REGULATES DIFFERENTIATION OF BROWN ADIPOCYTES

Author
item TSAI, JUDY - HARVARD SPH
item Tong, Qiang
item TAN, GUO - HARVARD SPH
item CHANG, AARON - HARVARD MED SCHOOL
item ORKIN, STUART - HARVARD MED SCHOOL
item HOTAMISLIGIL, GOKHAN - HARVARD SPH

Submitted to: EMBO Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/21/2005
Publication Date: 8/5/2005
Citation: Tsai, J., Tong, Q., Tan, G., Chang, A.N., Orkin, S.H., Hotamisligil, G.S. 2005. The transcription factor gata2 regulates differentiation of brown adipocytes. EMBO Journal. 6(9):1-6.

Interpretive Summary: Brown fat tissue is functionally different than the white fat, since brown fat burns lipid to generate heat for body temperature maintenance. However, brown fat cells share with white fat cells a similar molecular mechanism for fat cell formation. We have demonstrated previously that the GATA family of transcription factors block white fat cell formation. In this study, we have demonstrated that GATA factors also suppress the formation of brown fat cells. This evidence came from our observation that when brown fat cell forms, the expression of GATA factors is turned off. When we artificially maintain a high level of GATA factor expression in these cells, the brown fat formation is inhibited. Conversely, when we suppress the expression of GATA factors, the brown fat cell formation is enhanced. Therefore, GATA factors not only suppress white fat cell formation but also the development of brown fat cells.

Technical Abstract: Brown fat tissue is functionally different than the white fat, since brown fat burns lipid to generate heat for body temperature maintenance. However, brown fat cells share with white fat cells a similar molecular mechanism for fat cell formation. We have demonstrated previously that the GATA family of transcription factors block white fat cell formation. In this study, we have demonstrated that GATA factors also suppress the formation of brown fat cells. This evidence came from our observation that when brown fat cell forms, the expression of GATA factors is turned off. When we artificially maintain a high level of GATA factor expression in these cells, the brown fat formation is inhibited. Conversely, when we suppress the expression of GATA factors, the brown fat cell formation is enhanced. Therefore, GATA factors not only suppress white fat cell formation but also the development of brown fat cells.