Galectin-3 stimulates preadipocyte proliferation and is up-regulated in growing adipose tissue.
OBJECTIVE
Some cytokines and mediators of inflammation can alter adiposity through their effects on adipocyte number. To probe the molecular basis of obesity, this study determined whether galectin-3 was present in adipose tissue and investigated its effects on fat cell number.


METHODS
In the first study, obesity-prone C57BL/6J mice were fed with high-fat (58%) diet. Epididymal fat pads were collected at Day 0, Day 60, and Day 120 after the start of high-fat feeding.


RESULTS
Levels of adipocyte galectin-3 protein, determined using Western blot analysis, increased as the mice became obese. Galectin-3 mRNA and protein were then detected in human adipose tissue, primarily in the preadipocyte fraction. It was found that recombinant human galectin-3 stimulated proliferation of primary cultured preadipocytes as well as DNA synthesis through lectin-carbohydrate interaction.


CONCLUSIONS
Galectin-3, which has been known to play a versatile role especially in immune cells, might play a role also in adipose tissue and be associated with the pathophysiology of obesity.
Kiwaki
Kohji
K
Endocrine Research Unit, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Novak
Colleen M
CM
Hsu
Daniel K
DK
Liu
Fu-Tong
FT
Levine
James A
JA
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation
D037502:Galectin 3