Skeletal and cardiac myogenesis accompany adipogenesis in P19 embryonal stem cells

P19 embryonic carcinoma cells resemble normal embryonic stem (ES) cells. They generate cardiac and skeletal myocytes in response to retinoic acid (RA) or oxytocin (OT). RA treatment followed by exposure to triiodothyronine (T3) and insulin induces ES cells differentiation into adipocytes and skeletomyocytes. On the other hand, OT (10(-7) M) was reported to inhibit 3T3 preadipocyte maturation. The present work was undertaken to determine whether P19 cells have an adipogenic potential that could be affected by OT. Cells were treated with RA (10(-6) M)/T3+insulin (adipogenic protocol) or 10(-7) M OT (cardiomyogenic protocol), and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction, immunotechniques, and cytochemistry. Oil-Red-O staining and expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) and aP2 indicated the generation of adipocytes in cultures submitted to the adipogenic protocol. Contracting cells were also generated. Cells positive for sarcomeric actinin and negative for cardiac troponin inhibitor (cTpnI) indicated generation of skeletomyocytes, and cTpnI positive cells revealed generation of cardiomyocytes. Levels of cTpnI and of the skeletal marker MyoD were almost similar in both protocols, whereas no Oil-Red-O staining was associated with the cardiomyogenic protocol. Addition of 10(-7) M OT to the adipogenic protocol did not affect Oil-Red-O staining and PPARgamma expression. Interestingly, Oct3/4 pluripotency marker disappeared in the adipogenic protocol but remained expressed in the cardiomyogenic one. P19 cells thus have an adipogenic potential non affected by 10(-7) M OT. RA/T3+insulin combination generates a larger spectrum of mesodermal cell derivatives and is a more potent morphogenic treatment than OT. P19 cells could help investigating mechanisms of cell fate decision during development.