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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #98090
Title: EXPRESSION OF PORCINE ADIPOCYTE TRANSCRIPTS: TISSUE DISTRIBUTION AND DIFFERENTIATION IN VITRO AND IN VIVO

Author
item DING, SHIH-TORNG - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item MCNEEL, RONALD - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item Mersmann, Harry

Submitted to: American Journal of Physiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/5/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: This study deals with a process in pig fat cells in which forerunner cells are transformed into full-fledged adipocytes (fat cells) by transcription factors, which make the genes turn off and on. We investigated this differentiation process and these control factors in cultures and in live animals, in pig fat tissue, during the growth period shortly after birth. During the progression to fat cells, the transcription factors increased i a pattern that suggested control of fat cell differentiation. The progression to fat cells in culture was similar in many ways to that observed in pigs from birth to 28 days of age. The culture system is more controlled, but does not exactly predict the progression to fat cells observed in the young pig. By their varying concentrations during differentiation, specific transcription factors indicated their relative importance in this process. The results of this work contribute important information to the body of scientific literature regarding the development of fat cells and fat tissue in the young pig, a model for the human infant.

Technical Abstract: Transcripts for adipocyte characteristic proteins were measured in porcine stromal vascular cells (S/V cells). Transcripts for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma), adipocyte determination and differentiation-dependent factor 1(ADD1), and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBP alpha) were at >35% of the day 10 levels at day 0 of differentiation. At day 0, transcripts for lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (aP2) were <20% of the day 10 values. Transcripts for LPL increased rapidly to day 4, whereas transcripts for aP2 increased gradually to day 10. Adipose tissue transcripts for PPAR gamma, ADD1, and LPL were minimal at birth and increased to 28 days postpartum. The C/EBP alpha transcript was at a low level until 28 days. The aP2 transcripts were at high levels, regardless of age. Data from S/V cells suggest that PPAR gamma, ADD1 and C/EBP alpha may be involved in regulation nof transcripts for LPL and aP2, and porcine adipocyte differentiation. Dat in vivo suggests similar regulation, but with different developmental patterns for some transcripts.