Insulin Inhibits the Expression of Adiponectin and AdipoR2 mRNA in Cultured Bovine Adipocytes

Abstract

Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived protein that has a regulatory role in energy homeostasis and influences insulin sensitivity. Its effects on glucose utilization and lipid metabolism are mediated by AdipoR1 and AdipoR2. How insulin affects adiponectin gene expression and secretion is still controversial. This study was conducted to determine the expression of adiponectin, AdipRs and PPAR-γ during the differentiation of bovine preadipocytes and the effect of insulin on expression of these genes in bovine adipocytes. The bovine preadipocytes started to accumulate lipids three days after differentiation was induced, with increased expression of adiponectin, AdipoR2 and PPAR-γ mRNAs. Insulin decreased the expression of adiponectin mRNA in a dose- and time-dependent fashion, and the inhibition was detectable at insulin concentrations as low as 10 nM and as early as 2 h after addition of 100 nM insulin. Insulin also inhibited the expression of AdipoR2 mRNA at concentrations from 1 to 1,000 nM or 24 h after addition of 100 nM insulin, but did not affect the expression of AdipoR1 in bovine adipocytes. Inhibition of PI3K with LY294002 reversed the inhibition of adiponectin and AdipoR2 mRNA expression by insulin. These results suggest that insulin suppresses the expression of adiponectin and AdipoR2 at least partially via the PI3K signal pathway.