Overexpression of Akt1 enhances adipogenesis and leads to lipoma formation in zebrafish.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Obesity is a complex, multifactorial disorder influenced by the interaction of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Obesity increases the risk of contracting many chronic diseases or metabolic syndrome. Researchers have established several mammalian models of obesity to study its underlying mechanism. However, a lower vertebrate model for conveniently performing drug screening against obesity remains elusive. The specific aim of this study was to create a zebrafish obesity model by over expressing the insulin signaling hub of the Akt1 gene.

Methodology/principal findings

Skin oncogenic transformation screening shows that a stable zebrafish transgenic of Tg(krt4Hsa.myrAkt1)(cy18) displays severely obese phenotypes at the adult stage. In Tg(krt4:Hsa.myrAk

SUBMITTER: Chu CY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3356305 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature