Insulin-mediated regulation of decidual protein induced by progesterone (DEPP) in adipose tissue and liver

We analyzed the profile of the genes expressed in human adipose tissue and identified the fat-derived molecules, adiponectin and aquaporin 7, which modulate glucose and lipid metabolism. The same Bodymap analysis revealed abundant expression of the decidual protein induced by progesterone (DEPP) in the white adipose tissue. Northern blot analysis confirmed that human DEPP mRNA was highly expressed in white adipose tissue. Mouse DEPP mRNA was detected in heart, lung, skeletal muscle, and white adipose tissue under feeding state. In contrast, under fasting state, mouse DEPP mRNA was enhanced in lung, skeletal muscle, and white adipose tissue and it appeared also in the liver and kidney, suggesting up regulation of DEPP by fasting. Because fasting-induced DEPP expression was observed in insulin-sensitive organs, we investigated the regulation of DEPP in white adipose tissue and liver. During adipogenesis of mouse 3T3-L1 cells, DEPP mRNA increased in a differentiation-dependent manner similar to adiponectin and aquaporin 7. Treatment of cultured 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes, rat H4IIE, and human HepG2 hepatoma cells with insulin significantly decreased DEPP mRNA levels in dose- and time-dependent manners. IN VIVO experiments showed significant decrease of hepatic and adipose DEPP mRNA levels in refed mice, compared to fasted animals, and also showed significant increase in DEPP mRNA in streptozotocin-induced insulin-deficient diabetic mice. These results indicate that DEPP is a novel insulin-regulatory molecule expressed abundantly in insulin-sensitive tissues including white adipose tissue and liver.