title: Identification of cathepsin K as a novel marker of adiposity in white adipose tissue.
abstract: In obesity, adipocytes undergo dramatic morphological and molecular changes associated with alterations in their gene expression profile. To identify genes differentially modulated in white adipose tissue (WAT) of obese db/db mice compared to wild type (wt) mice, we utilized RNA fingerprinting. Among the 52 candidates that we identified, we focused here on cathepsin K (ctsk), a cysteine protease, prevalently localized in lysosomes and involved in bone extracellular matrix degradation. In db/db mice, WAT ctsk mRNA was elevated 5.9-fold, as were Mitf and TFE3 (2- and 3.3-fold respectively), two transcription factors involved in ctsk induction in osteoclasts. Moreover, the level of WAT ctsk mRNA was increased in other obese models including A(y), fat, and tubby (2.8-, 3.2-, and 4.9-fold respectively) and decreased in mice undergoing weight loss. Despite the ubiquitous distribution of the ctsk transcript, we demonstrated that the obesity related increase is specific to the adipocytes. Further, in vitro experiments proved that the abundance of ctsk transcript increases upon adipose conversion of the established cell line of preadipocytes 3T3-F442A. In addition, ctsk gene expression was examined in adipose tissue of 21 lean and obese male subjects and significant correlations with BMI (r = 0.54, P = 0.012) and plasma leptin levels (r = 0.54, P = 0.015) were found. In conclusion, the WAT of obese db/db mice exhibits a different expression profile from that of the wt mice, and cathepsin K can be considered a novel marker of obesity and a target for the inhibition of adipose mass growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Pisa, Ospedale di Cisanello, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiellini
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Silvia E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Novelli
authors.forename: Ez-Zoubir
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Amri
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benzi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertacca
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Del Prato
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maffei
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D056657:Cathepsin K; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000235:genetics*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497234:MITF protein, human; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; C497235:Mitf protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C069203:TFE3 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D002403:Cathepsins; C534130:CTSK protein, human; D056657:Cathepsin K; C534132:Ctsk protein, mouse