Upregulated expression of stanniocalcin-1 during adipogenesis

Stanniocalcin-1 (STC-1) is a 56-kDa homodimeric protein originally discovered in bony fish, where it protects against toxic levels of environmental calcium by lowering the uptake of calcium via the gills and by increasing the reabsorption of phosphate in the kidney. Here we report expression of STC-1 in mammalian white and brown fat tissue. Coexpression of STC-1 and perilipin confirmed the presence of STC-1 in mature fat cells. Neoplastic adipocytes in well-differentiated liposarcomas also stained for STC-1, while the frequency of STC-1-positive cells was lower in high-grade liposarcomas. The kinetics of STC-1 expression during adipogenesis was investigated in 3T3-LI cells, which can be induced to adipocyte differentiation. Untreated 3T3-L1 cells displayed negligible amounts of STC-1, whereas 3T3-L1 cells, treated with an adipogenic cocktail, upregulated the expression of STC-1 concomitantly with acquisition of the adipocytic phenotype. We have previously reported a high expression of STC-1 in postmitotically differentiated neurons and megakaryocytes. We have also shown that expression of STC-1 confers increased resistance to hypoxic and oxidative stress in neurons. Given this, our findings suggest that STC-1, also in terminally differentiated adipocytes, may function as a "survival factor", which contributes to the maintenance of the integrity of mature adipose tissue.