title: 3T3-L1 adipocyte apoptosis induced by thiazolidinediones is peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma-dependent and mediated by the caspase-3-dependent apoptotic pathway.
abstract: Although thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are potent promoters of adipogenesis in the preadipocyte, they induce apoptosis in several other cell types, such as cancer cells, endothelial cells and T-lymphocytes. In this study, we investigated the proapoptotic effect of TZDs in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes, which express high levels of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) protein. Apoptosis was induced in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes by treatment with troglitazone, pioglitazone or prostaglandin J2, and could be blocked by the PPARgamma antagonist GW9662. Treatment with PPARgamma agonists also decreased Akt-1 protein and phosphorylation levels without affecting phosphoinositide 3-kinase and PTEN. Further analysis indicated that in troglitazone-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, Bad phosphorylation and Bcl-2 protein levels were reduced, and Bax translocation to the mitochondria was increased. Subsequently, cytochrome c release and caspase-3 cleavage were observed. TZD-induced adipocyte apoptosis could be blocked by the caspase-3 inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO or by overexpression of Bcl2. In cultured rat primary adipocytes, similar apoptosis-inducing effects of troglitazone were also observed. Thus, TZDs promote apoptosis in adipocytes through a PPARgamma-dependent pathway. This apoptosis is mediated by the inhibition of Akt-1, which decreases Bad phosphorylation and activates the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Taichang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Wenqi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002839:Chromans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D015230:Prostaglandin D2 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077288:Troglitazone; D051025:bcl-Associated Death Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002839:Chromans; D047495:PPAR gamma; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D051025:bcl-Associated Death Protein; C037112:9-deoxy-delta-9-prostaglandin D2; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D053148:Caspase 3; D000077288:Troglitazone; D015230:Prostaglandin D2; D000077205:Pioglitazone