PSVIII-2 Effects of metformin on white adipose tissue transdifferentiation

Abstract

Abstract Early piglet mortality due to chilling is a leading cause of economic loss in swine production. Non-shivering thermogenesis can be used by piglets to increase survivability through the utilization of brown adipose tissue (BAT). Recent studies suggest metformin hydrochloride induces “browning,” or transdifferentiation, of white adipocytes into brown adipocytes and increases BAT formation. Uncoupling proteins (UPC) are the principal markers of BAT. Sow treatment with metformin may increase BAT deposition in neonatal piglets. The objective of this study was to determine if metformin contributed to the expression of brown adipocyte markers UCP1, PRDM16, and PGC1α. To further investigate this, mouse 3T3 adipocyte cells were cultured, subdivided into two 6-well plates, and differentiated into mature white adipocytes. Oil Red O staining confirmed mature adipocytes with the presence of large lipid droplets. The experimental group was treated with 1.25 mM metformin hydrochloride (MET). The control group received only the growth medium (CON). The OD260nm/OD280nm was used to assess the quality of the extracted RNA. PCR analysis showed a significant difference in the expression of UCP1 of the MET cells (P < 0.05). PRDM16 and PGC1α expression showed no significant difference in the two groups (P > 0.10). These results indicate that metformin treatment at 1.25 mM contributed to the upregulation of UCP1 and the transdifferentiation of white adipocytes into brown adipocytes. This suggests the potential use of metformin in the upregulation of UCP to induce BAT formation.