title: Cadmium inhibits the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte through the C/EBPα and PPARγ pathways.
abstract: Cadmium, a well-known toxic heavy metal, affects cellular physiology by disturbing cellular signaling pathways. We investigate the effect of cadmium on cellular differentiation using 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cell lines as an in vitro model. Here, it was shown that cadmium (3 μM) significantly decreased both glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity and lipid accumulation of differentiating 3T3-L1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, inhibitory action of cadmium on differentiating 3T3-L1 cells was effective only at the initial stage of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation. Western blot analysis revealed that cadmium suppressed the expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) and peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor gamma (PPARγ) proteins, key transcriptional activators for adipogenesis, in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the inhibitory effects of cadmium on 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation, as indicated by a decrease in GPDH activity and lipid accumulation, a marker of adipogenesis, appeared to be mediated through the downregulated expression of C/EBPα and PPARγ proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, Kyonggi University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Jee
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jun Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Byung Sun
authors.initials: BS
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; D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha; D047495:PPAR gamma; D002104:Cadmium; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase; C011049:oil red O