title: A novel 3T3-L1 preadipocyte variant that expresses PPARgamma2 and RXRalpha but does not undergo differentiation.
abstract: This report describes a novel adipocyte-like cell line termed 3T3-L1/RB1 that was derived from preadipocyte cell line, 3T3-L1. The 3T3-L1/RB1 cells continued to divide after reaching confluence, formed foci, and constitutively expressed a low level of adipose fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) mRNA. However, 3T3L-1/RB cells did not undergo terminal differentiation as indicated by the failure of insulin and thiazolidendiones to induce the expression of A-FABP, lipoprotein lipase, and fatty acid synthase. We hypothesized that the 3T3-L1/RB1 variant did not respond to differentiation stimuli because it did not express either peroxisomal proliferator activated receptor gamma2 (PPARgamma2) or its heterodimer partner, retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha). Surprisingly, Western blots revealed that 3T3-L1/ RB1 cells contained both PPARgamma2 and RXRalpha proteins at levels equal to or greater than that of the parent cell line. However, gel retardation assays using the adipose response element from A-FABP and nuclear protein extracts from 3T3-L1/RB1 cells treated with insulin or pioglitazone revealed that nuclear protein extracts from 3T3-L1/RB1 cells had very little ability to bind the PPARgamma2 recognition sequence of the A-FABP gene. These data suggest that the 3T3-L1/RB1 variant contains a mutation that may prevent ligand activation of PPARgamma2, and the subsequent conversion of 3T3-L1/RB1 cells to mature fat cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, and the Division of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas, Austin 78712, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Baillie
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thuillier
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D015870:Gene Expression; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D018996:Myelin P2 Protein / Q000235:genetics; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics*; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C082667:Fabp5 protein, mouse; C086936:Fabp7 protein, mouse; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D018996:Myelin P2 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors; D013844:Thiazoles; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases; D000077205:Pioglitazone