Changes in angiotensinogen messenger RNA in differentiating 3T3-F442A adipocytes

Angiotensinogen messenger RNA (mRNA) has been identified in both brown and white adipose tissue. Recently we have shown that when 3T3-L1 cells were treated with isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX) to accelerate differentiation, angiotensinogen mRNA increased markedly in adipocytes as compared with preadipocytes. To determine if a correlation existed between the regulatory events associated with the differentiation process, we compared the change in angiotensinogen mRNA in spontaneously differentiating 3T3-F442A cells with two established parameters of differentiation in adipocyte cell lines. Differentiation was assessed by visual examination of cells for lipid droplets, fluorescent staining of the F-actin fibers, and increases in glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA. F-actin fibers were highly structured in preadipocytes, becoming disassembled and very disorganized as cells differentiated into adipocytes. The quantity of angiotensinogen mRNA increased as the number of lipid-containing cells increased within a culture. Glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA accumulated in differentiated adipocytes to about the same extent as angiotensinogen mRNA. Thus, increases in angiotensinogen mRNA were associated with the morphological and biochemical changes that occur during the phenotypic modulation of 3T3-F442A cells.