Insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-induced stimulation of porcine preadipocyte replication

Insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is both adipogenic and mitogenic to preadipose cell lines as well as primary stromalvascular (SV) cells. The precise effect of IGF-1 on primary preadipocytes per se, however, has not been elucidated directly. In this study, primary porcine preadipocytes were exposed to IGF-1 while at three culture densities. The proportion of replicating preadipocytes was determined by labeling cells with an antiadipocyte/preadipocyte monoclonal antibody (MAb) concomitant with DNA measurement with propidium iodide. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that different seeding densities did not affect the relative proportion of preadipocytes (AD-1 positive) in cultures. However, IGF-1 treatment increased the proportion of preadipocytes at all densities but to a greater extent in more dense cultures. The resultant number of fat cell clusters formed was greater at higher densities and on IGF-1 treatment. The proportion of replicating cells in cultures decreased with increasing density. IGF-1 significantly increased replication at all densities and increased the number of replicating preadipocytes to the same extent independent of density. These results provide direct evidence of hormonal regulation of primary preadipocyte replication.