Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma modulation and lipogenic response in adipocytes of

Jennifer K Yee1, Wai-Nang Paul Lee, Michael G Ross

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 1000 West Carson Street, Harbor Box 446, Torrance, CA 90509, USA. jyee@labiomed.org.

Insights

Small-for-gestational age (SGA) offspring exhibit enhanced fat cell development and lipid synthesis early in life. By postnatal day 21, SGA adipocytes show resistance to PPARγ repressors and a specific response to activators, impacting fatty acid metabolism.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Research
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Small-for-gestational age (SGA) birth is linked to increased risks of adult obesity and insulin resistance.
  • SGA offspring exhibit elevated adipose tissue PPARγ and de novo fatty acid synthesis during nursing.
  • Age-dependent lipogenesis in SGA adipocytes and the impact of PPARγ modulators remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess adipogenic and lipogenic potential in SGA adipocytes at postnatal days 1 and 21.
  • To investigate the effects of PPARγ activators and repressors on SGA adipocyte lipogenesis.
  • To determine the fatty acid metabolic response to PPARγ activator treatment in SGA adipocytes.

Main Methods:

  • Primary adipocyte cultures from SGA and control rat offspring (postnatal days 1 and 21) were established.
  • Cell proliferation, Oil Red O staining, and protein expression (PPARγ, SREBP1) were quantified.
  • Lipogenesis was assessed using U13C-glucose tracing and GC/MS following treatment with rosiglitazone or BADGE.

Main Results:

  • SGA adipocytes showed increased proliferation and lipid accumulation at both postnatal days 1 and 21.
  • At postnatal day 21, SGA adipocytes exhibited heightened lipogenic gene expression and glucose-mediated de novo fatty acid synthesis.
  • Rosiglitazone further enhanced glucose utilization for fatty acid synthesis in p21 SGA adipocytes, which were resistant to BADGE treatment.

Conclusions:

  • SGA adipocytes possess enhanced early-life adipogenic and lipogenic capacity.
  • By postnatal day 21, SGA adipocytes display resistance to PPARγ repressor ligands.
  • High-dose PPARγ activator treatment selectively impacts gene expression, and p21 SGA adipocytes show increased de novo fatty acid synthesis linked to glucose metabolism.
Abstract