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Knocking down clock control gene CRY1 decreases adipogenesis via canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Shiwei Sun1, Lei Zhou1, Yueming Yu1

  • 1The Fifth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Fudan University, 200240, Shanghai, China.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|November 3, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Cryptochrome 1 (CRY1) is a key regulator of fat cell development. This study shows CRY1 controls adipogenesis by influencing the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, impacting lipid metabolism.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Chronobiology

Background:

  • Cryptochrome 1 (CRY1) is a circadian clock gene involved in adipocyte biology and lipid metabolism.
  • The precise molecular mechanism by which CRY1 regulates adipogenesis remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of CRY1 as a regulator in adipogenic differentiation.
  • To elucidate the molecular pathway through which CRY1 influences fat cell formation.

Main Methods:

  • Monitoring CRY1 expression levels during adipogenic differentiation in 3T3-L1 and C3H10T1/2 cells.
  • Knockdown of endogenous CRY1 to assess its impact on adipogenic markers and lipid droplet formation.
  • Analyzing the effect of CRY1 knockdown on β-catenin expression and nuclear accumulation.

Main Results:

  • CRY1 expression increased progressively during adipogenic differentiation in both cell types.
  • Knockdown of CRY1 significantly inhibited adipogenic marker expression and lipid accumulation.
  • CRY1 knockdown led to increased expression and nuclear translocation of β-catenin, a key Wnt pathway component.

Conclusions:

  • CRY1 is a crucial regulator of adipogenic differentiation.
  • CRY1 modulates adipogenesis via the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
Keywords:
AdipogenesisCRY1Clock geneWntβ-Catenin

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