title: Transcriptional regulation of the adipocyte fatty acid synthase gene by agouti: interaction with insulin.
abstract: Mice carrying dominant mutations at the agouti locus exhibit ectopic expression of agouti gene transcripts, obesity, and type II diabetes through unknown mechanisms. To gain insight into the role of agouti protein in modulating adiposity, we investigated regulation of a key lipogenic gene, fatty acid synthase (FAS) by agouti alone and in combination with insulin. Both agouti and insulin increase FAS activity in 3T3-L1 and in human adipocytes. Agouti and insulin independently and additively increase FAS activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We further investigated the mechanism responsible for the agouti-induced FAS expression in these cells and demonstrated that both insulin (3-fold increase) and agouti (2-fold) increased FAS gene expression at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, insulin and agouti together exerted additive effects (5-fold increase) on FAS gene transcription. Transfection assays of FAS promoter-luciferase fusion gene constructs into 3T3-L1 adipocytes indicated that the agouti response element(s) is (are) located in the -435 to -415 region (-435/-415) of the FAS promoter. Nuclear proteins binding to this novel sequence are adipocyte specific. Thus the agouti response sequences mapped to a region upstream of the insulin-responsive element (which we previously reported to be located at -67/-52), consistent with additive effects of these two factors on FAS gene transcription.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Claycombe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: W O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Wilkison
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Zemel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moustaid-Moussa
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D054366:Agouti Signaling Protein; D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004347:Drug Interactions; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000235:genetics*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020218:Response Elements / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: C515182:ASIP protein, human; D054366:Agouti Signaling Protein; D007328:Insulin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C515183:a protein, mouse; D004247:DNA; D008156:Luciferases; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases