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Updated: May 7, 2026
An Adipocyte Cell Culture Model to Study the Impact of Protein and Micro-RNA Modulation on Adipocyte Function
Published on: May 4, 2021
N-Acetylcysteine affects obesity-related protein expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes
P Calzadilla1, M Gómez-Serrano, E García-Santos
1Universidad de Buenos Aires - IQUIBICEN, CONICET. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Pabellón 2 (1428), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Objectives:
Oxidative stress plays critical roles in the pathogeneses of diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis, but its effect on fat accumulation is still unclear. In this study, we analyzed the role of the well-known antioxidant and a glutathione (GSH) precursor N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in fat accumulation and the expression of obesity-associated proteins.
Methods:
We studied the effects of 10 µM NAC on obesity-related protein expression in cultured 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, which are able to differentiate into mature adipocytes and accumulate lipids.
Results:
NAC treatment inhibited fat accumulation and reduced the expression of obesity-related proteins, including monoamine oxidase A, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), aminoacylase -1 (ACY-1), and transketolase.
Discussion:
Our results suggest that the effects of NAC on triglycerides (Tgs) and protein expression are correlated. In support of this, we showed that NAC treatment affected both the Tg synthesis pathway and the expression levels of proteins implicated in human obesity.
