{"title":"Modulation of adipose tissue phenotype and longevity-related gene expression by nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 knockdown in 3T3-L1 cells.","authors":"Sai Zhang, Bing Han, Xue Wang, Xiaoyang Yuan","doi":"10.1007/s42000-025-00669-9","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study explores the role of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in regulating adipose tissue phenotype and its potential mechanisms for promoting aging resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The study aims to evaluate the impact of Nrf2 knockdown on adipose phenotype transformation, focusing on brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) marker genes, as well as longevity-related factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>3T3-L1 preadipocytes were differentiated into adipocytes using a standard MDI regimen. Nrf2 expression was knocked down via siRNA transfection. Gene expression was assessed using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), and protein levels were analyzed using Western blotting.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nrf2 knockdown was confirmed by Western blot (p<0.001) and qPCR (p<0.001), showing a significant reduction in Nrf2 expression. Notably, this knockdown resulted in increased expression of BAT markers, including PGC-1α (p = 0.012), Dio2 (p = 0.020), and PRDM16 (p = 0.001), at both mRNA (PGC-1α [p = 0.012], Dio2 [p = 0.020], and PRDM16 [p = 0.001]) and protein (PGC-1α [p = 0.001]; Dio2 [p = 0.003]; PRDM16 [p = 0.007])levels. Conversely, WAT markers such as BMP4 (mRNA: p = 0.01; WB: p = 0.001), resistin (mRNA: p = 0.016; WB: p = 0.004), and Rb1 (mRNA: p = 0.03; WB: p = 0.003) were significantly downregulated. Additionally, levels of Cycs (mRNA: p = 0.024; WB: p = 0.037) and UCP1 (mRNA: p = 0.024; WB: p = 0.023) were elevated, indicating enhanced mitochondrial function and metabolic activity (P < 0.05). The knockdown also affected longevity-related proteins, Sirt1 (WB: p = 0.018) and AMPKα (WB: p = 0.021), underscoring Nrf2's role in metabolic regulation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Nrf2 knockdown in 3T3-L1 adipocytes promotes a transition towards a brown adipose phenotype and enhances the expression of longevity-related factors, suggesting Nrf2 as a potential therapeutic target for addressing aging-related metabolic decline.</p>","PeriodicalId":50399,"journal":{"name":"Hormones-International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Hormones-International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-025-00669-9","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: This study explores the role of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in regulating adipose tissue phenotype and its potential mechanisms for promoting aging resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The study aims to evaluate the impact of Nrf2 knockdown on adipose phenotype transformation, focusing on brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) marker genes, as well as longevity-related factors.
Methods: 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were differentiated into adipocytes using a standard MDI regimen. Nrf2 expression was knocked down via siRNA transfection. Gene expression was assessed using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), and protein levels were analyzed using Western blotting.
Results: Nrf2 knockdown was confirmed by Western blot (p<0.001) and qPCR (p<0.001), showing a significant reduction in Nrf2 expression. Notably, this knockdown resulted in increased expression of BAT markers, including PGC-1α (p = 0.012), Dio2 (p = 0.020), and PRDM16 (p = 0.001), at both mRNA (PGC-1α [p = 0.012], Dio2 [p = 0.020], and PRDM16 [p = 0.001]) and protein (PGC-1α [p = 0.001]; Dio2 [p = 0.003]; PRDM16 [p = 0.007])levels. Conversely, WAT markers such as BMP4 (mRNA: p = 0.01; WB: p = 0.001), resistin (mRNA: p = 0.016; WB: p = 0.004), and Rb1 (mRNA: p = 0.03; WB: p = 0.003) were significantly downregulated. Additionally, levels of Cycs (mRNA: p = 0.024; WB: p = 0.037) and UCP1 (mRNA: p = 0.024; WB: p = 0.023) were elevated, indicating enhanced mitochondrial function and metabolic activity (P < 0.05). The knockdown also affected longevity-related proteins, Sirt1 (WB: p = 0.018) and AMPKα (WB: p = 0.021), underscoring Nrf2's role in metabolic regulation.
Conclusion: Nrf2 knockdown in 3T3-L1 adipocytes promotes a transition towards a brown adipose phenotype and enhances the expression of longevity-related factors, suggesting Nrf2 as a potential therapeutic target for addressing aging-related metabolic decline.
期刊介绍:
Hormones-International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism is an international journal published quarterly with an international editorial board aiming at providing a forum covering all fields of endocrinology and metabolic disorders such as disruption of glucose homeostasis (diabetes mellitus), impaired homeostasis of plasma lipids (dyslipidemia), the disorder of bone metabolism (osteoporosis), disturbances of endocrine function and reproductive capacity of women and men.
Hormones-International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism particularly encourages clinical, translational and basic science submissions in the areas of endocrine cancers, nutrition, obesity and metabolic disorders, quality of life of endocrine diseases, epidemiology of endocrine and metabolic disorders.