title: Ectopic expression of Neuronatin potentiates adipogenesis through enhanced phosphorylation of cAMP-response element-binding protein in 3T3-L1 cells.
abstract: Neuronatin (Nnat) is selectively expressed in the neonatal brain and is involved in neuronal differentiation during brain development. However, Nnat also appears to be abundantly expressed in adipose tissue, and is conspicuously elevated in the adipose tissue of obese Zucker diabetic fatty rats compared with control lean Zucker lean control rats shown in our previous report. Here, we examined the expression of Nnat in adipose tissue and demonstrated that the ectopic expression of Nnat mediated by retroviral infection or stable transfection of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes stimulated differentiation into mature adipocytes with early induction of adipogenic transcription factors. Moreover, in 3T3-L1 cells overexpressing Nnat, increased intracellular free calcium levels and enhanced phosphorylation of cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) were observed, which appears to potentiate CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP)beta, C/EBPdelta, and C/EBPalpha transcriptional activities. Collectively, the data indicate that Nnat enhances CREB phosphorylation through increasing intracellular free calcium levels, which potentiates expression of adipogenic transcription factors resulting in heightened adipocyte differentiation. These findings contribute to a greater fundamental understanding of obesity, a clinically important risk factor in numerous diseases.
authors.affiliation: Division of Metabolic Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Institute of Health, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Won Ho
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Changsuk
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Yun Hwa
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Su-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Eun
authors.forename: Joo Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Joo Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jihyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Myeong Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D022782:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D045604:Extracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha; D022782:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C490239:Nnat protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; D002118:Calcium