Evidence for neuroendocrine regulation of preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation

Cells in fetal adipose tissue and cells in vitro are characterized by rapid proliferation. Serum factors have been shown to be important for the rapid proliferation of cells in vitro. The present experiment was performed to determine if neuroendocrine regulatory mechanisms of the fetus can influence the actions of serum factors on preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation in vitro. Sera were obtained from decapitated fetal pigs and intact littermates during gestation. Sera were tested for their effects on primary cultures of preadipocytes and stromal-vascular cells derived from inguinal adipose tissue of young Sprague-Dawley rats. Coverslip cultures were used for histochemical analysis of enzymes after 12 days of incubation with test media. Analysis of growth curves produced from sequential [3H]-thymidine labeling indicated that fetal age influences rates of proliferation. Sera from decapitated fetal pigs specifically reduced the number of proliferating preadipocytes in culture. Sera from decapitated fetal pigs induced a minimum of 50% less differentiation of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity than sera from intact pigs at all fetal ages. Histochemical staining for enzymes of differentiating preadipocytes was also reduced in cultures incubated with sera from decapitated fetal pigs in comparison to sera from intact pigs. The present study has demonstrated that the in vivo effect of decapitation on fetal adipose tissue development is a consequence of alterations in systemic factors present in serum in response to removal of central regulation by the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.