Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 28, 2026
Isolating Brown Adipocytes from Murine Interscapular Brown Adipose Tissue for Gene and Protein Expression Analysis
Published on: March 12, 2021
[Effect of EPO on PRDM16, FGF21 expression and STAT phosphorylation of brown adipose tissue in HFD mice]
Rui Zhang1, Lu Chen1, Jun-Mei Ge1
1Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
Objective:
To investigate the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on blood glucoseand plasma insulin level, index of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), introperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), the mRNA and protein level of PR domain-containing 16 (PRDM16), phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3), fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in mice fed with high fat diet (HFD) in order to provide clues for the mechanism of obesity and complication.
Methods:
Twenty C57BL/6J male mice fed with HFD were randomly divided into control group (HFD-Con) and EPO group (HFD-EPO), mice in the two groups were injected intraperitoneally normal saline and EPO (200 IU/kg) res pectively, 3 times per week for consecutive 4 weeks.Then the body weight, blood glucose, plasma insulin level, HOMA-IR and IPGTT were detected.The mRNA and protein level of PRDM16, FGF21, p-STAT3/STAT3 in brown adipose tissue were detected by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot respectively.
Results:
After intraperitoneal injection of EPO for 4 weeks, the body weight of the mice in HFD-EPO and HFD-Con groups was (26.65±0.85) g and (31.50±1.6 0) g respectively.The blood glucose of the mice in HFD-EPO group[(62.79±8.09) mg/dl]was significantly decreased compared with that in HFD-Con group[(91.06±9.86) mg/dl].The plasmainsulin level in HFD-EPO group[(10.56±1.06)μU/ml]was significantly decreased compared with that in HFD-Con group[(13.2±1.1)μU/ml, P< 0.01].The level of IPGTT in HFD-EPO group was significantly ameliorated and th e HOMA-IR decreased compared with those in HFD-Con group.The mRNA and protein expressions of PRDM16, FGF21 and the level of STAT3 of brown adipose tissue in HFD-E PO group were increased obviously.And there was no difference of FGF21 mRNA content in liver and FGF21 content in plasmabetween the two groups.
Conclusions:
EPO could promote differentiation of brown adipose tissue by increase in the express ion of PRDM16, and decrease the blood glucose level, ameliorate glucose metabolism in obses mice.
Related Concept Videos
01:02Phosphorylation
During phosphorylation, protein kinases transfer the terminal phosphate group of ATP to specific amino acid side chains of substrate proteins. Serine, threonine, and tyrosine are the most commonly...
01:20The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway
02:24Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
01:42What is Gene Expression?
Gene expression is the process in which DNA directs the synthesis of functional products, that is, proteins. Cells can regulate gene expression at various stages. It allows organisms to generate different cell types and enables cells to adapt to internal and external factors.
Genetic Information Flows from DNA to RNA to Protein
A gene is a stretch of DNA that serves as the blueprint for functional RNAs and proteins. Since DNA is made up of nucleotides and proteins consist of amino...
01:36What is Gene Expression?
02:48Expressing Solution Concentration
Concentrations may be quantitatively assessed using a wide variety of measurement units, each convenient for particular applications. Molarity (M) is a useful concentration unit for many applications in chemistry.