Myostatin inhibits differentiation of bovine preadipocyte

We investigated the effect of myostatin on the differentiation of bovine preadipocyte. Stromal-vascular cells containing preadipocytes were prepared from perirenal adipose tissue of approximately 30-month-old Japanese Black steers. After confluence, the differentiation was induced by 1-methyl-3-isobutyl-xanthine, dexamethasone, insulin, and troglitasone for 2 days, and then subsequently cultured for 6 days. The cells were treated with myostatin during the induction of differentiation (the early phase of differentiation) or throughout the differentiation period. We measured the terminal differentiation markers such as glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, lipid accumulation, and the expression of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein mRNA at the end of cultures. The treatment with myostatin throughout the differentiation period severely suppressed the induction of all differentiation markers. The treatment with myostatin in the early phase of differentiation also suppressed the induction of terminal differentiation markers but three-fold higher dose of myostatin was required for the suppression compared with its treatment throughout the differentiation period. Myostatin treatment reduced the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma mRNA and interfered with the induction of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) alpha mRNA. We also observed that follistatin stimulates preadipocyte differentiation in the presence of myostatin. These results suggest that myostatin inhibits bovine preadiopocyte differentiation through suppressing PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha mRNA expressions and that follistatin counteracts the suppressive effect of myostatin.     

The influence of insulin, triiodothyronine (T3) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1) on the differentiation of preadipocytes in serum-free cultures of pig stromal-vascular cells

Adipose tissue stromal-vascular (S-V) cells were obtained from 1-d-old pigs by enzymatic digestion and then grown to confluence (1 to 4 d) in 10% fetal bovine serum. Cultures then were shifted to serum-free media for 7 d. One and 50 nM insulin with transferrin (5 micrograms/ml) significantly increased (P less than .05) the cytodifferentiation of preadipocytes in serum-free cultures of S-V cells compared with control cultures (no hormones). Fifty nanomolar and 1 microM insulin with transferrin increased the specific activity of glycerol-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) and the soluble protein levels of S-V cultures compared with control cultures. Ten nanomolar insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) increased (P less than .05) GPDH specific activity, soluble protein and preadipocyte cytodifferentiation compared with control cultures. Triiodothyronine (T3) supplementation (2 to 10 nM) increased (P less than .05) GPDH specific activity and increased lipid droplet size in preadipocytes compared with control cultures (no T3 but with insulin and transferrin). Cytodifferentiation of preadipocytes and soluble protein levels were not enhanced by T3 supplementation. Furthermore, T3 did not influence any parameters when added to S-V cultures that did not contain insulin. These data demonstrate that physiological levels of insulin or IGF-I can stimulate porcine preadipocyte differentiation in the absence of other hormones or growth factors.     

Effects of lipid-related factors on adipocyte differentiation of bovine stromal-vascular cells in primary culture

The effects of several factors related to lipids on bovine adipocyte differentiation were investigated in primary culture. Adipocyte differentiation was assessed by development of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity and morphological observation. Addition of triglyceride mixture (Intralipid), caprylic acid and very low-, low- and high-density lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL and HDL) stimulated bovine preadipocyte differentiation in serum-free condition. Especially, VLDL strongly increased both cell protein contents and GPDH activity, suggesting that it stimulated both proliferation and differentiation of bovine preadipocytes. Under Intralipid-induced condition, differentiation of preadipocytes from subcutaneous adipose tissues was more evident than those from omental adipose tissues. However, such depot difference was not observed in medium supplemented with indomethacin, which is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma agonist. This suggests that the differentiation capacity of bovine preadipocytes was different between depots and such difference is dependent on the ability to utilize lipids as endogenous PPARgamma ligands. Therefore, lipid metabolites have the stimulatory effects on bovine adipocyte differentiation in vitro, and lipoproteins, especially VLDL, may play an important role in development of bovine adipose tissues in vivo.     

The influence of human growth hormone on preadipocyte development in serum-supplemented and serum-free cultures of stromal-vascular cells from pig adipose tissue

The influence of human growth hormone (hGH) on the differentiation of preadipocytes was examined in primary cultures of stromal-vascular (s-v) cells from porcine adipose tissue. In these experiments, cells were exposed to test media for 7–8 days after seeding and plating for two days in fetal bovine serum. In serum-free (insulin, transferrin and selenium) cultures hGH (1 and 10 nM) reduced the number and size of fat cell clusters (P<.05) by 50% relative to controls (no hGH). Differentiation of preadipocytes was assayed by labelling dividing cells with tritiated thymidine under identical conditions and then exposing cultures to test media for seven days. Fat cells were then separated from the other cells and radioactivity was determined in each fraction. In serum containing (2% pig serum) cultures hGH (10 nM) inhibited (P<.05) the differentiation of labelled preadipocytes. In cultures with serum and with 1 μM insulin and in serum-free cultures, 1 and 10 nM hGH reduced (P<.05) the levels of glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) specific activity by approximately 50%. However, hGH (1 and 10 nM) had no affect on GPDH activity in cultures with serum but without insulin. These studies indicate that hGH significantly impedes porcine preadipocyte development in vitro. Therefore, the decreased rate of adipose tissue growth observed in pigs chronically treated with GH could be due in part to impaired preadipocyte growth.     

The influence of dexamethasone and insulin on expression of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein isoforms during preadipocyte differentiation in porcine stromal-vascular cell cultures: evidence for very early expression of C/EBPalpha

Expression of CAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) isoforms was examined in primary cultures of adipose tissue stromal vascular (S-V) cells before and during preadipocyte differentiation. Immunocytochemistry showed that the proportions and numbers of C/EBPalpha-, C/EBPbeta-, and C/EBPdelta-reactive cells were maximized after seeding and plating from d 0 to 3 in fetal bovine serum (FBS). However, there were few preadipocytes (AD-3+) and fewer cells with lipid and the number of C/EBPalpha-reactive cells clearly exceeded the number of preadipocytes. Seeding and plating in dexamethasone (DEX) + FBS from d 0 to 3 markedly increased the proportions and numbers of preadipocytes and C/EBPalpha-reactive cells compared to seeding and plating in FBS, d 0 to 3. The number of C/EBPalpha- and C/EBPbeta-reactive cells and preadipocyte reactivity for C/EBPbeta decreased with insulin or DEX treatment, d 3 to 6, following FBS, d 0 to 3. However, insulin + DEX treatment, d 3 to 6, maintained the number of C/EBPalpha-reactive cells and either maintained or increased preadipocyte reactivity for C/EBPalpha and C/EBPbeta. DEX and DEX + insulin treatment induced recruitment of a similar number of preadipocytes, but preadipocytes were not reactive for C/EBPalpha and C/EBPbeta in DEX-treated cultures. The number of C/EBPdelta reactive cells did not change from d 3 to 6 and was not influenced by hormone treatment. After DEX + FBS, d 0 to 3, the high numbers of C/EBPalpha-reactive cells and preadipocytes were maintained by insulin treatment alone. Western blot analysis for C/EBPalpha confirmed the immunocytochemical results. Double staining demonstrated that expression of C/EBPalpha protein was maximized before or at the onset of lipid accretion, whereas expression of C/EBPbeta protein was correlated with lipid accretion. These results indicate that coupling or integration of preadipocyte recruitment with C/EBPalpha expression may be a critical step in glucocorticoid-induced adipogenesis.     

Optimization of in vitro conditions for bovine subcutaneous and intramuscular preadipocyte differentiation

The objective of these experiments was to develop an in vitro cell culture system for differentiation of bovine preadipocytes, which will permit examination of differences in differentiation between intramuscular (i.m.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) bovine preadipocytes. Stromal-vascular cells from bovine i.m. and s.c. adipose depots were isolated and cultured. Clonally derived s.c. preadipocytes were used to determine the ability of insulin, bovine serum lipids, octanoate, acetic acid, dexamethasone (DEX), and troglitazone (TRO) to elicit differentiation of these cells when added to serum-free medium. Addition of 10 and 20 microL/mL of a commercially available serum lipids supplement to low-glucose Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 280 nM insulin increased glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity (P < 0.01). Inclusion of 1.25 to 10 microM TRO to medium containing 280 nM insulin and 20 microL/ mL serum lipids supplement also increased GPDH activity (P < 0.001) compared with 0 microM TRO. The combination of 280 nM insulin, 1 mM octanoate, and 10 mM acetic acid, with 48 h exposure to 0.25 microM DEX caused morphological differentiation in a small number of cells but did not stimulate GPDH activity (P = 0.99). When used together, 280 nM insulin, 20 microL/mL of serum lipids supplement, 40 microM TRO, and 0.25 microM DEX stimulated differentiation compared with the aforementioned treatment (P < 0.001). Omission of TRO or insulin from this medium reduced GPDH activity by 68% (P < 0.001), whereas removal of DEX tended to reduce GPDH activity (P = 0.06). Preadipocytes from s.c. (n = 3) and i.m. (n = 2) adipose tissues of 3 steers were used to determine the effects of TRO on differentiation using the established conditions. Forty to sixty microM TRO enhanced differentiation compared with 0 microM TRO (P < 0.02) in both depots. No depot differences in response to TRO were detected (P = 0.32). These data demonstrate that bovine preadipocytes are capable of differentiation in response to combinations of insulin, serum lipids, DEX, and TRO. Although TRO enhanced differentiation of bovine preadipocytes, no differential effects of TRO on the differentiation of s.c. and i.m. cells were detected.     

m6A甲基化酶METTL3和WTAP在牦牛组织及脂肪细胞中的表达

本研究旨在探究m⁶A RNA甲基化酶METTL3和WTAP在牦牛(Bos grunniens)不同组织、前体脂肪细胞增殖与分化过程中的表达模式和前体脂肪细胞分化过程mRNA m⁶A的变化水平。采用qRT-PCR检测牦牛皮下脂肪、肌肉、心、肝、脾、肺、肾和皮下脂肪不同时期(18和30月龄)METTL3及WTAP的mRNA表达水平。应用I型胶原酶消化法获取牦牛前体脂肪细胞,油红O染色和脂肪分化标志基因的检测建立牦牛前体脂肪细胞分化模型,以及qRTPCR检测前体脂肪细胞增殖分化阶段METTL3和WTAP的mRNA表达水平。结果表明,肝脏组织中METTL3表达最高(P<0.05),皮下脂肪组织表达量最低(P<0.05);WTAP在皮下脂肪组织中的表达最为丰富,脾脏中的表达量最低(P<0.05)。30月龄皮下脂肪组织中METTL3和WTAP mRNA表达量高于18月龄。前体脂肪细胞诱导分化12 d时,细胞中出现多而密的脂环,脂肪细胞分化特异性标志基因FABP4、C/EBPα和PPARγ第12天的表达量显著高于第0天(P<0.05)。METTL3和WTAP的表达量在细胞增殖阶段(24、48和72 h)呈现“下降-上升”的表达趋势(P<0.05)。在牦牛前体脂肪细胞分化阶段(0、4、8和12 d),METTL3表达量呈现“上升-下降-上升”的趋势,WTAP呈现“上升-下降”的趋势。细胞分化阶段mRNA m⁶A水平呈现逐渐上升的趋势,在分化12 d时细胞内RNA的m⁶A丰度最高(P<0.05)。本研究获得METTL3和WTAP在牦牛不同组织和前体脂肪细胞增殖分化阶段的变化规律及细胞分化过程中mRNA m⁶A水平变化,初步揭示WTAP和METTL3对牦牛脂代谢具有重要的调控作用。     

小窝蛋白-1在猪前体脂肪细胞分化中的作用及其机理

以体外培养1日龄猪皮下前体脂肪细胞为研究对象,通过脂质体LipofectamineTM2000介导小窝蛋白-1（Caveolin-1,CAV1）过表达载体pEGFP-N1-CAV1及CAV1的干扰片段siRNA-CAV1分别转染猪皮下前体脂肪细胞,采用RT-PCR定量分析转染后24、48、72、96h的CAV1mRNA表达量以及转染后72h脂肪细胞分化相关基因的mRNA表达量;其后又进行了CAV1过表达或干扰且诱导分化后甘油三脂含量以及脂肪细胞分化相关基因的mRNA表达量测定。结果显示,过表达CAV1基因上调前体脂肪细胞分化相关基因PPARγ、C/EBPβ、AP2、GPDH的表达量,干扰CAV1基因下调C/EBPβ、PPARγ、AP2、LPL、VLDLR的表达量;诱导分化后干扰组C/EBPβ、LPL、VLDLR的表达量仍显著降低,而甘油三脂含量检测结果说明过表达CAV1基因能促进脂肪细胞分化,提示CAV1可能通过C/EBPβ、LPL、VLDLR等基因影响猪前体脂肪细胞分化。     

Recruitment and differentiation of intramuscular preadipocytes in stromal-vascular cell cultures derived from neonatal pig semitendinosus muscles

The present study examined the influence of dexamethasone (DEX) treatment on preadipocyte recruitment and expression of CCAAT/enhancing binding protein-alpha (C/EBPalpha) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) proteins in stromal-vascular (SV) cell cultures derived from neonatal subcutaneous adipose tissue and semitendinosus muscles. One adipose tissue SV cell culture and one semitendinosus muscle SV cell culture were established from each of six young pigs (5 to 7 d of age). Conventional SV cell-culture procedures were used to digest adipose and muscle tissue and to harvest and culture adipose and muscle SV cells. Muscles were digested after the removal of all visible connective tissue from the excised muscle. One hour after seeding, muscle SV cell cultures were rinsed and refed new media to remove debris and insoluble muscle protein. The SV cell cultures were double-stained for lipid and the AD-3 antibody, a preadipocyte marker, at 1, 3, and 6 d and were double-stained for lipid and C/EBPalpha or PPARgamma at d 6. Preadipocytes were randomly distributed and not clustered after 1 d in muscle and adipose SV cultures. Regardless of treatment, relative and absolute fat cell numbers were lower (P < 0.05) in muscle than in adipose-SV cell cultures. The DEX treatments produced similar magnitudes of increase in relative and absolute preadipocytes and adipocytes in muscle- and adipose-SV cultures. Several extracellular matrix substrata had no influence on adipogenesis in muscle-SV cell cultures. These studies indicate that muscle-SV cultures are characterized by a low number of adipocytes under basal conditions and a low number of glucocorticoid-responsive preadipocytes.     

Expression of lipogenic genes during porcine intramuscular preadipocyte differentiation

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content plays an important role in meat quality. Triglyceride (TG) metabolism in intramuscular adipocytes is strongly associated with the intramuscular fat deposition. To better understand the mechanisms leading to IMF deposition we compared the expression levels of genes related to preadipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis in the intramuscular preadipocytes isolated from the longissimus muscle of Wujin and Landrace pigs. The results showed that the intramuscular preadipocytes could differentiate into mature adipocytes in vitro. Triglyceride content in adipocytes isolated from Wujin pigs was higher than Landrace pigs during the middle and later phases of preadipocyte differentiation. The expression levels of genes related to preadipocyte differentiation such as PPARG and CEBPA showed differential expression between Wujin and Landrace porcine adipocytes during the early stage of differentiation. The expression levels of lipogenic genes such as FASN and SREBF1 were significantly higher in Wujin porcine intramuscular preadipocytes than in Landrace intramuscular preadipocytes at the middle and the later stages of differentiation. This suggests that preadipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis exhibited breed-related scheduling.     

A method to establish co-cultures of myotubes and preadipocytes from collagenase digested neonatal pig semitendinosus muscles

The relationships between adipocyte and muscle cell development within muscle are important in the study of factors or agents that may improve meat quality. Neonatal porcine muscle has the potential to yield both cell types for cell culture because it contains developing adipocytes and a high number of muscle satellite cells. Therefore, we modified a conventional collagenase-based procedure to digest neonatal porcine muscle and subsequently cultured the resultant muscle stromal-vascular (SV) cells on several substrata in basal and dexamethasone (DEX)-containing media. Developing myotubes and preadipocytes were present in muscle SV cell cultures on laminin substrata following seeding and plating with fetal bovine serum (FBS) with or without DEX. Myotube number was much higher (P < 0.05) on laminin substrata compared with all other substrata, whereas preadipocyte number in muscle SV cell cultures was independent of substrata, as we have shown previously. This approach can be used to establish co-cultures of differentiating adipocytes and myotubes from collagenase-digested neonatal pig muscle. Because the comparison is within the same culture dish, this method allows for a direct comparison of the responses of adipogenic and myogenic cells to growth and differentiation factors. For example, DEX did not alter myogenesis (i.e., 11 +/- 3 vs. 11 +/- 4 myotubes per unit area for control and DEX-treated cultures, respectively), but it has been shown to markedly increase preadipocyte number in muscle SV cell cultures.     

血清对猪前脂肪细胞分化过程中聚脂相关基因表达的影响

为了探讨血清对猪前脂肪细胞诱导分化的影响,筛选更优的诱导方法.采用胶原酶消化法分离猪皮下前脂肪细胞,用含50 nmol·L~(-1)胰岛素、100 nmol·L~(-1)地塞米松、0.25 mmol·L~(-1)3-异丁基-1-甲基黄嘌呤、100nmol·L~1罗格列酮及添加(对照组)或不添加(试验组)10%FBS的分化培养液1和2对前脂肪细胞进行诱导分化,借助实时定量RT-PCR方法检测了细胞分化过程中聚脂相关基因PPARα、C/EBPα、FASN、ACOX1、GPAT和ENPP2的表达模式.结果显示:血清对PPARγ和FABP4两基因的表达有极显著的上调作用(P<＜0.01),而对其他6个基因的表达有极显著的下调作用(P＜0.01).试验组中FASN、GPAT和ACOX13个基因诱导分化各时间点的综合表达景均极显著高于对照组(P＜0.01),3基因表达量变化趋势间均达到极显著相关(P＜0.01).试验组中PPARα、PPARγ、C/EBPα和ACOX1 4个基因的基因表达最变化趋势间均达到显著或极显著正相关.研究表明:前脂肪细胞分化过程中,细胞内脂肪酸的生物合成和β氧化均在发生,细胞内脂肪含量积聚的快慢取决于2个途径力量的对比;PPARα、PPARγ、C/EBPα和ACOX14个基因间存在极强的协同表达现象;在细胞内脂肪积聚快慢上,含血清的分化培养液1要优于不含血清的分化培养液2.     

干扰MSTN对牛骨骼肌卫星细胞增殖分化的影响

为研究肌肉生长抑制素（myostatin,MSTN）对牛骨骼肌卫星细胞增殖与成肌分化的影响,本试验以牛骨骼肌卫星细胞体外诱导成肌分化模型为对象,以前期设计合成3个干扰RNA（si-MSTN-1、si-MSTN-2、si-MSTN-3）并对其进行干扰效果筛选为基础,将干扰效果极显著的si-MSTN-2（si-MSTN）转染牛骨骼肌卫星细胞,通过EdU染色法检测干扰MSTN对牛骨骼肌卫星细胞增殖的影响;进一步对干扰MSTN的牛骨骼肌卫星细胞进行体外成肌诱导分化,通过肌管形成状态和分化标志因子综合分析干扰MSTN对牛骨骼肌卫星细胞分化的影响：首先通过显微镜观察牛骨骼肌卫星细胞分化时期的肌管形成状态,然后利用实时荧光定量PCR和Western blotting技术检测牛骨骼肌卫星细胞分化标志因子MyoG和MyHC在mRNA和蛋白水平的表达情况。结果显示,干扰MSTN后,牛骨骼肌卫星细胞中EdU阳性细胞率极显著增加（P < 0.01）,说明下调MSTN表达极显著促进了牛骨骼肌卫星细胞的增殖;牛骨骼肌卫星细胞诱导分化后形成的肌管数量和直径均呈现增大趋势,牛骨骼肌卫星细胞成肌分化标志因子MyHC在mRNA和蛋白水平的表达均极显著高于对照组（P < 0.01）,说明下调MSTN表达能够促进牛骨骼肌卫星细胞的成肌分化过程。本研究结果表明,干扰MSTN可以显著促进牛骨骼肌卫星细胞的增殖及成肌分化过程。本试验结果为进一步开展MSTN对牛骨骼肌卫星细胞成肌分化的调控机制研究提供了参考。     

Porcine preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation: a role for leptin?

The present study was designed to determine whether porcine leptin can alter the proliferation and differentiation of the porcine preadipocyte. The stromal vascular cell fraction of neonatal pig s.c. adipose tissue was isolated by collagenase digestion, filtration, and subsequent centrifugation. For differentiation studies, cells were seeded on six-well tissue culture plates and proliferated to confluency in 10% (vol/vol) fetal bovine serum (FBS) in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/F12 (DMEM/F12; 50:50). Cultures were differentiated using 2.5% pig serum (vol/vol) and recombinant porcine leptin at concentrations of 0 to 1,000 ng/mL alone or in combination with porcine insulin (100 nM), dexamethasone (1 microM), or IGF-1 (250 ng/mL). After 7 d of lipid filling, cultures were harvested for analysis of sn-glycerol 3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). The GPDH and LPL activities are measures of preadipocyte differentiation. Data were corrected for protein content of the cultures. For proliferation experiments, 24 h after seeding cells with 10% FBS in DMEM/F12 in 25-cm2 tissue culture flasks, cells were switched to 5% FBS and supplemented with 0 to 1,000 ng of porcine leptin or 1,000 ng of murine leptin. Cell proliferation was measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation in preconfluent cultures over 24 h on d 4 of culture. At confluency, cells were switched to a medium to promote differentiation and lipid filling (2.5% pig serum, 100 nM insulin, 1 microM dexamethasone) for 7 d. Cells were harvested from the flasks and adipocytes were separated from stromal cells by Percoll gradient centrifugation. In a series of experiments, leptin alone or in combination with insulin, dexamethasone, or IGF-I did not affect differentiation as measured by the activity of GPDH and LPL. Leptin at any concentration did not inhibit differentiation induced by insulin, dexamethasone, or IGF-I; however, leptin at 1,000 ng/mL stimulated a 30% increase in preadipocyte proliferation (P = 0.007; n = 6) and a 27% increase in stromal cell proliferation (P < 0.001; n = 6). These results indicate that, at most, porcine leptin may contribute to the recruitment of new adipocytes within the adipose tissue.     

Meat Science and Muscle Biology Symposium: the influence of extracellular matrix on intramuscular and extramuscular adipogenesis

The extracellular matrix (ECM) and specific ECM components can have a major influence on cell growth, development, and phenotype. The influence of the ECM and ECM components on adipogenesis in vivo and in vitro will be reviewed in this paper. Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm substratum and laminin per se markedly increased attachment, spreading, and hypertrophy of preadipocytes in serum-free primary cultures of porcine adipose tissue stromal-vascular cells. Furthermore, primary cultures of stromal-vascular cells showed that preadipocytes express ECM components after preadipocyte recruitment. Staining for plant lectins, type IV collagen, and laminin in fetal pig adipose tissue demonstrates that adipocyte reactivity for laminin was strong throughout fetal development and was similar for developing adipocytes and vasculature. However, lectin binding and type IV collagen reactivity of blood vessels preceded that for adipocytes. Therefore, these studies indicated that the ECM and in particular laminin may play a critical role in morphological aspects of preadipocyte development. Specific inhibitors and modulators of collagen synthesis have been used to evaluate the role of collagens in the differentiation of bovine intramuscular preadipocytes (BIP) and other preadipocyte cell lines. Triglyceride accretion of BIP cells was inhibited by a general inhibitor of collagen biosynthesis, whereas specific inhibitors or modulators of type IV collagen inhibited 3T3-L1 cell differentiation. Further study revealed that compared with collagens types I to IV, type V and VI collagens have an important and active role in BIP adipogenesis. The growth of intramuscular bovine adipose tissue may be dependent on collagen newly synthesized and organized by the adipocytes per se. The role of extracellular or ECM proteolysis in regulating adipogenesis also will be reviewed in this paper. Many members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family are expressed by adipocytes, and specific inhibition of MMP-9 greatly reduces adipogenesis in vitro. Possibly, MMP and other proteases regulate turnover of key adipocyte ECM proteins that are involved in the regulation of preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation.     

Analysis of myostatin and its related factors in various porcine tissues

Myostatin is expressed in skeletal muscle tissue where it functions to suppress myoblast proliferation and myofiber hypertrophy. Recently, myostatin was detected in the tendon, mammary gland, and adipose tissue of mice. We sought to determine whether myostatin is expressed in the liver, spleen, lung, and kidney of pigs. Real-time PCR and Western blots demonstrated that myostatin, follistatin, decorin, and activin receptor IIB (ActRIIB) mRNA and proteins were expressed in skeletal muscle, heart muscle, and adipose tissue, and also in liver, spleen, lung, kidney, and cultured fibroblasts. The relative abundance of myostatin was closely related to follistatin and decorin in porcine tissues. Immunohistochemical analysis further demonstrated the presence of myostatin, follistatin, and decorin in the skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, heart muscle, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney of pigs. These results suggest that myostatin could be associated with certain functions of the internal organs, such as energy metabolism or fibrosis. We conclude that myostatin is a factor broadly expressed in the internal organs and muscle tissues of pigs.     

Responsiveness to adipogenic agents in stromal-vascular cultures derived from lean and preobese pig fetuses: an ontogeny study.

Primary cultures of stromal-vascular (S-V) cells from adipose tissue were used to evaluate characteristics of preadipocytes from lean and preobese fetuses at several ages (50, 75, and 110 d). In insulin-supplemented (1 microM) cultures (serum free) there was a significant age x fetal genotype interaction (P less than .01) for glycerol-phosphate dehydrogenase specific activity (GPDH); GPDH activity was genotype-dependent at 110 d (preobese greater than lean). The responses of S-V cultures (preadipocyte development) to 2% pig serum and to insulin (serum free) were similar. Main effects of genotype and age were significant (P less than .05) for protein levels in pig serum and insulin-treated cultures. There was a significant genotype x age (P less than .05) interaction for GPDH activity and protein levels in cultures treated with dexamethasone + 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (DEX-IBMX). Treatment with DEX-IBMX induced more preadipocyte development in cultures from preobese fetuses than in cultures from lean fetuses at 110 d (P less than .05). The responsiveness of S-V cultures to DEX-IBMX (enhanced development) increased considerably between 50 and 75 d regardless of fetal genotype, but there was little response in cultures form 50-d fetuses. Preadipocyte development in lean and preobese fetuses diverged between 75 and 110 d, resulting in many more preadipocytes in preobese fetuses at 110 d. Therefore, S-V cells from preobese fetuses (late term) may be inherently more sensitive to adipogenic agents than S-V cells from lean fetuses.