A single dose of dihydrotestosterone induced a myogenic transcriptional program in female intra-abdominal adipose tissue.
Sex steroids are key regulators of adipose tissue (AT) mass, determining gender-specific differences in fat distribution and accumulation. With the aim of exploring the relevance and peculiarities of androgen action in female intra-abdominal AT, we used the serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) method to analyze the AT transcriptome in four groups of female mice: intact, ovariectomized (OVX), OVX plus dihydrotestosterone (DHT) injection at 3h or 24h before sacrifice (DHT3h, DHT24h). An average of 19555 transcript species was examined in retroperitoneal fat. We found a total of 321 transcripts differentially modulated by DHT and OVX, including 125 novel genes. Several genes involved in energy metabolism/ATP production were up-regulated by DHT, whereas important regulators of lipid metabolism were reduced. Transcripts involved in Ca(2+) uptake/release, cell signalling, cell defence and protein expression were differentially modulated by DHT. A surprising number of myogenic genes were up-regulated, including myosin light and heavy polypeptides, troponins, as well as several actin-binding proteins. These results suggest that DHT24h may have induced a myogenic-like transcriptional program in adipocytes. The present study sheds light on the distinctive female transcriptional pattern acutely induced by androgens in intra-abdominal fat, and may add new insights into the global understanding of menopausal endocrinology and its association to intra-abdominal obesity.
De Giorgio
Maria Rita
MR
Functional Genomics Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology and Oncology Research Center, Laval University Medical Center, Québec City, Canada.
Yoshioka
Mayumi
M
St-Amand
Jonny
J
D000818:Animals; D019295:Computational Biology; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D024510:Muscle Development / Q000187:drug effects; D009218:Myosins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010052:Ovariectomy; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D014336:Troponin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D014336:Troponin; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D012313:RNA; D009218:Myosins