Oestrogen signalling in white adipose progenitor cells inhibits differentiation into brown adipose and smooth muscle cells.

ABSTRACT: Oestrogen, often via oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα) signalling, regulates metabolic physiology, highlighted by post-menopausal temperature dysregulation (hot flashes), glucose intolerance, increased appetite and reduced metabolic rate. Here we show that ERα signalling has a role in adipose lineage specification in mice. ERα regulates adipose progenitor identity and potency, promoting white adipogenic lineage commitment. White adipose progenitors lacking ERα reprogramme and enter into smooth muscle and brown adipogenic fates. Mechanistic studies highlight a TGFβ programme involved in progenitor reprogramming downstream of ERα signalling. The observed reprogramming has profound metabolic outcomes; both female and male adipose-lineage ERα-mutant mice are lean, have improved glucose sensitivit

SUBMITTER: Lapid K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4770882 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature