title: Inverse relationship between adipocyte differentiation and ceramide level in 3T3-L1 cells.
abstract: Adipocyte differentiation has been a target in anti-obesity strategies and is known to be closely related to lipid metabolism. Ceramide, a major sphingolipid metabolite, has been implicated in differentiation. In this study, we investigated whether ceramide biosynthesis is related to adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. Preadipocytes can be differentiated synchronously by a mixture of adipogenic inducers including 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, dexamethasone and insulin. The number of lipid droplets and the triglyceride content, which are differentiation biomarkers, gradually increased during adipogenesis. Interestingly, ceramide and sphingosine contents in the differentiated cells were decreased compared to those in preadipocytes. When the preadipocytes were treated with an 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine- or dexamethasone- or insulin-deficient mixture of inducers, the cellular ceramide levels were significantly increased compared with those in cells treated with the complete set of inducers. When preadipocytes were treated with 0, 0.1 or 1 µg/ml insulin along with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and dexamethasone, the ceramide levels were decreased and the triglyceride content was increased in a concentration-dependent manner. When the cells were treated with epigallocatechin gallate, an adipocyte differentiation inhibitor, during adipogenesis, the ceramide levels of adipocytes were increased and the fat content was decreased. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that cellular ceramide levels are inversely correlated with adipocyte differentiation.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Medical Research Center, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyeong-Mi
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Youn-Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mi-Hwa
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Dong-Mi
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.forename: Seunghyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: So-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Mi Kyeong
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yong-Moon
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yeo-Pyo
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Jin-Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Hwan-Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D050156:Adipogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D002518:Ceramides / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D014280:Triglycerides; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate; D013110:Sphingosine