Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (May 2020)

RXRα Positively Regulates Expression of the Chicken PLIN1 Gene in a PPARγ-Independent Manner and Promotes Adipogenesis

  • Yuhang Sun,
  • Yuhang Sun,
  • Yuhang Sun,
  • Guiying Zhai,
  • Guiying Zhai,
  • Guiying Zhai,
  • Rui Li,
  • Rui Li,
  • Rui Li,
  • Weinan Zhou,
  • Weinan Zhou,
  • Weinan Zhou,
  • Yumao Li,
  • Yumao Li,
  • Yumao Li,
  • Zhiping Cao,
  • Zhiping Cao,
  • Zhiping Cao,
  • Ning Wang,
  • Ning Wang,
  • Ning Wang,
  • Hui Li,
  • Hui Li,
  • Hui Li,
  • Yuxiang Wang,
  • Yuxiang Wang,
  • Yuxiang Wang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.00349
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8

Abstract

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Perilipin1 (PLIN1), the most abundant lipid droplet (LD)-associated protein, plays a vital role in regulating lipid storage and breakdown in adipocytes. Recently, we found that the overexpression of PLIN1 promotes chicken preadipocyte lipid accumulation. However, the mechanisms by which transcription of the chicken PLIN1 gene is regulated remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) in transcription of the chicken PLIN1 gene. Notably, reporter gene and expression assays showed that RXRα activates transcription of the chicken PLIN1 gene in a PPARγ-independent manner. Furthermore, promoter deletion and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) analysis revealed that the chicken PLIN1 gene promoter region (-774/-785) contains an RXRα-binding site. Further study demonstrated that RXRα overexpression promotes differentiation of an immortalized chicken preadipocyte cell line (ICP1), causing a concomitant increase in PLIN1 transcripts. Taken together, our results show for the first time that RXRα activates transcription of the chicken PLIN1 gene in a PPARγ-independent manner, which might be at least in part responsible for RXRα-induced adipogenesis.

Keywords