title: Apoptosis-inducing factor is a target gene of C/EBPα and participates in adipocyte differentiation.
abstract: Besides the contribution in cell death, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) also exerts roles in other cellular activities, which are largely unknown. The CCAAT-enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) is required for differentiation of adipocytes and granulocytes. Here we report that, during 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation, AIF expression is robustly upregulated via transcriptional regulation by C/EBPα. The upregulated effect is also confirmed by knockdown and ectopic expression of C/EBPα in U937 and MCF-7 cells respectively with and without endogenous expression of C/EBPα protein. We also reveal that AIF knockdown attenuates 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation, presumably due to the mitochondrial respiratory chain deficiency. These results provide evidence for the role of AIF in adipocyte differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Science, Shanghai Institutes of Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shao-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Zhao-Xia
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Guo-Qiang
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Shun
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor; D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I