potential role for the nuclear factor of activated T cells family of transcriptional regulatory proteins in adipogenesis

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 95; no. 26; pp. 15537 - 15541
• Main Authors: Ho, I.C, Kim, J.H.J, Rooney, J.W, Spiegelman, B.M, Glimcher, L.H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 22.12.1998; National Acad Sciences; National Academy of Sciences; The National Academy of Sciences
• Subjects: 3T3 Cells; 3T3 L1 cells; Adipocytes; Adipocytes - cytology; Adipocytes - drug effects; Adipocytes - physiology; Animals; Antibodies; ap2 gene; binding proteins; Biological Sciences; cell differentiation; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell lines; Cells; Cellular differentiation; Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase - biosynthesis; Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase - genetics; Cyclosporine - pharmacology; cyclosporins; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; fatty acid-binding proteins; Genes; Immunology; inhibition; Lipogenesis; Lymphocyte Activation; Mice; NFATC Transcription Factors; Nuclear Proteins - metabolism; Promoter regions; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Proteins; Recombinant Proteins - biosynthesis; T lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - physiology; transcription (genetics); transcription factors; Transcription Factors - metabolism; transcriptional activation; Transfection
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.95.26.15537

NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) is a family of transcription factors implicated in the control of cytokine and early immune response gene expression. Recent studies have pointed to a role for NFAT proteins in gene regulation outside of the immune system. Herein we demonstrate that NFAT proteins are present in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and, upon fat cell differentiation, bind to and transactivate the promoter of the adipocyte-specific gene aP2. Further, fat cell differentiation is inhibited by cyclosporin A, a drug shown to prevent NFAT nuclear localization and hence function. Thus, these data suggest a role for NFAT transcription factors in the regulation of the aP2 gene and in the process of adipocyte differentiation.