Expression of the thermogenic nuclear hormone receptor coactivator PGC-1alpha is reduced in the adipose tissue of morbidly obese subjects.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC1alpha) is an accessory protein which can potentiate the transcriptional activation function of many nuclear hormone receptors. Its tissue distribution and physiological studies suggest that its principal in vivo roles are to promote cold-induced thermogenesis, mitochondrial biogenesis, hepatic gluconeogenesis, and fatty acid beta-oxidation. It is expressed in the white adipose tissue of both humans and rodents, and in rodents it has been suggested to mediate in part the leptin-induced conversion of white adipocytes from fat storing to fat oxidising cells. In this study, quantitative real-time PCR has been used in human tissue to demonstrate that (1) PGC1alpha mRNA levels in subcutaneous fat are three-fold lower in morbidly obese than in slim subjects; (2) there are no differences in PGC1alpha mRNA between omental and subcutaneous mature adipocytes; (3) there is a robust induction of PGC1alpha expression during subcutaneous human preadipocyte differentiation ex vivo. Whether low PGC1alpha expression is a prelude to the development of obesity, or a consequence of that obesity, attempts to upregulate endogenous white adipose tissue expression may prove a valuable new avenue to explore in obesity therapy.

Resistin / Fizz3 expression in relation to obesity and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma action in humans.

Recent studies in murine models suggest that resistin (also called Fizz3 [1]), a novel cysteine-rich protein secreted by adipocytes, may represent the long-sought link between obesity and insulin resistance (2). Furthermore, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) agonists appear to inhibit resistin expression in murine adipocytes, providing a possible explanation for the mode of action of this class of insulin sensitizers (2). Using a fluorescent real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction-based assay, we found that resistin mRNA levels in whole adipose tissue samples were increased in morbidly obese humans compared with lean control subjects. However, in freshly isolated human adipocytes, resistin mRNA levels were very low and showed no correlation with BMI. Resistin mRNA was undetectable in preadipocytes, endothelial cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells, but it was readily detectable in circulating mononuclear cells. Although exposure of human mononuclear cells to PPAR-gamma agonists markedly upregulated fatty acid-binding protein-4 expression, these agents had no effect on mononuclear cell resistin expression. Finally, resistin mRNA was undetectable in adipocytes from a severely insulin-resistant subject with a dominant-negative mutation in PPAR-gamma (3). We conclude that the recently described relationships of murine resistin/Fizz3 expression with obesity, insulin resistance, and PPAR-gamma action may not readily translate to humans. Further studies of this novel class of proteins are needed to clarify their roles in human metabolism.

Depot-related and thiazolidinedione-responsive expression of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) in human adipocytes.

OBJECTIVES: Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) is a recently described homologue of the uncoupling protein of brown adipocytes (UCP1), which is expressed at high levels in human white adipose tissue. Studies were undertaken (1) to establish whether the expression of UCP2 mRNA varies in a depot-related manner in isolated human adipocytes, (2) to determine whether thiazolidinedione exposure influences the expression of UCP2 mRNA in cultured human pre-adipocytes, and (3) to determine whether human UCP2 is targeted to mitochondria when transfected into mammalian cells. SUBJECTS: Abdominal subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue biopsies were obtained from adult patients undergoing elective intra-abdominal surgical procedures. MEASUREMENTS: A competitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to quantify UCP2 mRNA expression in human omental and subcutaneous adipocytes, and in cultured human preadipocytes differentiated in vitro using the thiazolidinedione, BRL49653. Chinese hamster ovary cells were transfected with a vector expressing human UCP2, and its cellular localization was determined by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. RESULTS: Adipocytes isolated from human omentum consistently expressed more UCP2 mRNA than did subcutaneous adipocytes from the same subjects (mean fold difference 2.92+/-0.44 P<0.001, n=11) with no effect of gender or body mass index being seen. BRL49653 treatment of subcutaneously, but not omentally, derived preadipocytes stimulated expression of UCP2 mRNA (5.1+/-1.1 fold). Transfected human UCP2 was detected exclusively in mitochondria of CHO cells. CONCLUSIONS: Increased expression of UCP2 in human omental adipose tissue relative to subcutaneous adipose tissue is related to the expression levels in adipocytes per se, a finding which may relate to the particular functional attributes of this sub-population of adipocytes. Furthermore, BRL 49653 has site-specific effects of on the expression of UCP2 in human preadipocytes, a finding which may be relevant to the therapeutic effects of such compounds. Finally we present evidence for the mitochondrial localisation of human UCP2.

Regulation of tumour necrosis factor-alpha release from human adipose tissue in vitro.

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), secreted by cells of the macrophage-monocyte lineage, has a well established role in inflammation and host-defence. The more recent discovery that adipocytes also secrete TNF-alpha has led to a substantial body of research implicating this molecule in the insulin resistance of obesity. However, little is known about the normal regulation of TNF-alpha release from human adipose tissue. In particular, it is not known whether adipocyte production of TNF-alpha is responsive to similar or different molecular regulators than those relevant to macrophages. TNF-alpha release from cultured human adipose tissue and isolated adipocytes was examined using an ELISA. Insulin, cortisol or the thiazolidinedione, BRL 49653, did not have a significant effect on TNF-alpha release from adipose tissue or isolated adipocytes. In contrast, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major stimulus of TNF-alpha protein production in monocytes and macrophages, resulted in a fivefold stimulation of TNF-alpha release from human adipose tissue. Significant stimulation of TNF-alpha release was also seen from isolated adipocytes, indicating that the increase in TNF-alpha release from adipose tissue in the presence of LPS is unlikely to be entirely attributable to contaminating monocytes or macrophages. Consistent with this observation was the finding that mRNA for CD14, a known cellular receptor for LPS, is expressed in human adipocytes. The increase in TNF-alpha protein release in response to LPS was blocked by an inhibitor of the matrix metalloproteinase responsible for the cleavage of the membrane-bound proform of TNF-alpha, indicating that this release represented regulated secretion and was not due to cell lysis. In conclusion, the regulation of TNF-alpha protein release from human adipose tissue and isolated adipocytes appears to be similar to its regulation in cell types more traditionally implicated in host defence. The production by the adipocyte of a range of molecules involved in host defence-TNF-alpha, factors D, B and C3, interleukin-6, and macrophage colony-stimulating factor--suggest that this cell type may make a significant contribution to innate immunity.

Depot-related gene expression in human subcutaneous and omental adipocytes.

Human omental adipocytes display a range of biochemical properties that distinguish them from adipocytes of subcutaneous origin. However, information about site-related gene expression in human fat cells is limited. We have previously demonstrated that leptin mRNA is markedly overexpressed in abdominal subcutaneous (SC) compared with omental (Om) adipocytes. To further investigate depot-specific differences in adipocyte gene expression, we have measured, in paired samples of isolated human adipocytes obtained from SC and Om fat depots, the expression of mRNAs encoding a number of proteins involved in the control of adipocyte metabolism. In contrast to the marked site-related expression of leptin, genes encoding lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and adipsin were not consistently differentially expressed. Of note, a highly significant inverse correlation between adipocyte PPAR-gamma expression and BMI (r = -0.7, P = 0.0005) was found. In parallel experiments, differential display was used in an attempt to identify novel and/or unexpected adipocyte genes that were expressed in a site-related manner. No transcript that was unique to one or another depot was found, but cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein-2 (cIAP2) mRNA, which has not previously been reported in adipocytes, was expressed at higher levels in Om than SC adipocytes (Om > SC in all eight subjects; mean Om:SC ratio 1.9 +/- 0.2, P < 0.01). Because cIAP2 may be involved in the regulation of TNF-alpha signaling, this raises the possibility that depot-specific differences may exist in the regulation of adipocyte apoptosis. Thus, of the mRNAs examined to date, only leptin and cIAP2 show consistent site-related expression, suggesting that these molecules may have important roles in determining functional properties particular to individual adipose depots. Given the importance of PPAR-gamma in adipocyte development and insulin sensitivity, the inverse correlation between adipocyte PPAR-gamma mRNA levels and adiposity may represent a local regulatory mechanism restraining fat accumulation and/or may be related to the reduction of insulin sensitivity that occurs with increasing fat mass.

Thiazolidinedione exposure increases the expression of uncoupling protein 1 in cultured human preadipocytes.

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are a novel class of insulin-sensitizing agents used in the treatment of NIDDM and are potent agonists for the nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma). The thiazolidinedione BRL 49653 has been shown to promote the differentiation of the HIB-1B brown preadipocyte cell line and to increase rat interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) mass. Given the importance of brown fat in the control of energy metabolism in rodents, this may represent an important therapeutic effect of this class of compound. To date, however, no studies examining the effects of TZDs on human brown fat have been reported. In the present study, we have measured uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1) mRNA, a specific marker for BAT, in isolated adipocytes and subcultured preadipocytes prepared from different adult human adipose tissue depots. Consistent with previous studies of adult human whole adipose tissue, UCP-1 mRNA was detectable in isolated human adipocytes prepared from all depots studied with a rank order of perirenal, omental, and subcutaneous. BRL 49653 treatment of subcultured human pre-adipocytes prepared from all depots resulted in increased levels of UCP-1 mRNA, compared with those of the vehicle-treated cells. When exposed to BRL 49653 for 5 days, preadipocytes from the human perirenal depot accumulated lipid, and a proportion of cells showed clear mitochondrial staining for UCP-1 protein by confocal microscopy. Thus, cells of the brown fat lineage were detectable in all human adipose depots studied, and cultured human pre-adipocytes, particularly from the perirenal depot, showed a marked increase in UCP-1 expression in response to thiazolidinediones. Given the role of brown adipocytes in the enhancement of energy expenditure, promotion of brown fat adipogenesis by thiazolidinediones could contribute to the beneficial effects of these drugs on insulin resistance in humans.

Congenital leptin deficiency is associated with severe early-onset obesity in humans.

The extreme obesity of the obese (ob/ob) mouse is attributable to mutations in the gene encoding leptin, an adipocyte-specific secreted protein which has profound effects on appetite and energy expenditure. We know of no equivalent evidence regarding leptin's role in the control of fat mass in humans. We have examined two severely obese children who are members of the same highly consanguineous pedigree. Their serum leptin levels were very low despite their markedly elevated fat mass and, in both, a homozygous frame-shift mutation involving the deletion of a single guanine nucleotide in codon 133 of the gene for leptin was found. The severe obesity found in these congenitally leptin-deficient subjects provides the first genetic evidence that leptin is an important regulator of energy balance in humans.

Activators of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma have depot-specific effects on human preadipocyte differentiation.

Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma, a nuclear receptor highly expressed in adipocytes, induces the differentiation of murine preadipocyte cell lines. Recently, thiazolidinediones (TZDs), a novel class of insulin-sensitizing compounds effective in the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) have been shown to bind to PPARgamma with high affinity. We have examined the effects of these compounds on the differentiation of human preadipocytes derived from subcutaneous (SC) and omental (Om) fat. Assessed by lipid accumulation, glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, and mRNA levels, subcultured preadipocytes isolated from either SC or Om depots did not differentiate in defined serum-free medium. Addition of TZDs (BRL49653 or troglitazone) or 15-deoxyDelta12,14prostaglandin J2 (a natural PPARgamma ligand) enhanced markedly the differentiation of preadipocytes from SC sites, assessed by all three criteria. The rank order of potency of these agents in inducing differentiation matched their ability to activate transcription via human PPARgamma. In contrast, preadipocytes from Om sites in the same individuals were refractory to TZDs, although PPARgamma was expressed at similar levels in both depots. The mechanism of this depot-specific TZD response is unknown. However, given the association between Om adiposity and NIDDM, the site-specific responsiveness of human preadipocytes to TZDs may be involved in the beneficial effects of these compounds on in vivo insulin sensitivity.