M1/M2 Macrophages Play Different Roles in Adipogenic Differentiation of PDGFRα⁺ Preadipocytes In Vitro

PGGFRα⁺ preadipocytes are the major subpopulations that can regenerate into adipocytes. Two different types of macrophages exist in the fat tissue: the classically activated macrophage (M1) and the alternatively activated macrophage (M2). In this study, we investigated whether M1/M2 macrophages play distinct roles in adipogenic differentiation of PDGFRα⁺ preadipocytes.

Mouse preadipocytes and macrophages were isolated from C57BL/6 male mice of 6-8 weeks. The culture supernate of M1 and M2 macrophages was collected and co-cultured with the PDGFRα⁺ preadipocytes. After 3 days, Oil Red O staining was used to evaluate to adipogenic differentiation of PDGFRα⁺ preadipocytes and the expression of adipogenic-related transcription factors (C/EBP-α, PPARγ) were also tested.

The results showed that when cultured in vitro, M1 macrophages could significantly suppress the adipogenesis of PDGFRα⁺ preadipocytes as well as the C/EBP-α and PPARγ expression, but M2 macrophages did not have significant influence on the adipogenesis of PDGFRα⁺ preadipocytes nor on C/EBP-α and PPARγ expression compared with the control group.

M1 macrophages significantly suppress PDGFRα⁺ preadipocyte adipogenesis which provides a possible way to improve adipogenesis and fat retention after fat-free grafting by mitigating acute inflammation and manipulating M1 macrophage levels.

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