The control of foxN2/3 expression in sea urchin embryos and its function in the skeletogenic gene regulatory network.

Early development requires well-organized temporal and spatial regulation of transcription factors that are assembled into gene regulatory networks (GRNs). In the sea urchin, an endomesoderm GRN model explains much of the specification in the endoderm and mesoderm prior to gastrulation, yet some GRN connections remain incomplete. Here, we characterize FoxN2/3 in the primary mesenchyme cell (PMC) GRN state. Expression of foxN2/3 mRNA begins in micromeres at the hatched blastula stage and then is lost from micromeres at the mesenchyme blastula stage. foxN2/3 expression then shifts to the non-skeletogenic mesoderm and, later, to the endoderm. Here, we show that Pmar1, Ets1 and Tbr are necessary for activation of foxN2/3 in micromeres. The later endomesoderm expression of foxN2/3 is independent of the earlier expression of foxN2/3 in micromeres and is independent of signals from PMCs. FoxN2/3 is necessary for several steps in the formation of the larval skeleton. Early expression of genes for the skeletal matrix is dependent on FoxN2/3, but only until the mesenchyme blastula stage as foxN2/3 mRNA disappears from PMCs at that time and we assume that the protein is not abnormally long-lived. Knockdown of FoxN2/3 inhibits normal PMC ingression and foxN2/3 morphant PMCs do not organize in the blastocoel and fail to join the PMC syncytium. In addition, without FoxN2/3, the PMCs fail to repress the transfating of other mesodermal cells into the skeletogenic lineage. Thus, FoxN2/3 is necessary for normal ingression, for expression of several skeletal matrix genes, for preventing transfating and for fusion of the PMC syncytium.

Overexpression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is associated with lipid dysregulation and insulin resistance in obesity.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) produces cellular NADPH, which is required for the biosynthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. Although G6PD is required for lipogenesis, it is poorly understood whether G6PD in adipocytes is involved in energy homeostasis, such as lipid and glucose metabolism. We report here that G6PD plays a role in adipogenesis and that its increase is tightly associated with the dysregulation of lipid metabolism and insulin resistance in obesity. We observed that the enzymatic activity and expression levels of G6PD were significantly elevated in white adipose tissues of obese models, including db/db, ob/ob, and diet-induced obesity mice. In 3T3-L1 cells, G6PD overexpression stimulated the expression of most adipocyte marker genes and elevated the levels of cellular free fatty acids, triglyceride, and FFA release. Consistently, G6PD knockdown via small interfering RNA attenuated adipocyte differentiation with less lipid droplet accumulation. Surprisingly, the expression of certain adipocytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and resistin was increased, whereas that of adiponectin was decreased in G6PD overexpressed adipocytes. In accordance with these results, overexpression of G6PD impaired insulin signaling and suppressed insulin-dependent glucose uptake in adipocytes. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that aberrant increase of G6PD in obese and/or diabetic subjects would alter lipid metabolism and adipocytokine expression, thereby resulting in failure of lipid homeostasis and insulin resistance in adipocytes.

Transcriptional regulation of mouse 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase by ADD1/SREBP1c.

6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) constitutes the pentose phosphate pathway and produces NADPH. 6PGDH is also considered as a lipogenic gene since NADPH is a pivotal cofactor for lipogenesis. Thus, it is important to elucidate how 6PGDH is regulated by various signals related to energy homeostasis. Here, we provide several evidences that ADD1/SREBP1c regulates the expression of mouse 6PGDH gene. DNase I footprinting assay and point mutation studies revealed that the E-box (CANNTG) motif in the promoter of mouse 6PGDH is an important cis-regulatory element for ADD1/SREBP1c. 6PGDH mRNA is highly expressed in white adipose tissue and tightly modulated by nutritional status. Furthermore, we found that ADD1/SREBP1c mediates insulin-dependent 6PGDH expression and that PI3-kinase is an important linker for its regulation. Taken together, these data suggest that ADD1/SREBP1c is a key transcription factor for 6PGDH gene expression and would coordinate glucose metabolism and lipogenesis for energy homeostasis.