Impaired adipogenesis and lipolysis in the mouse upon selective ablation of the retinoid X receptor α mediated by a tamoxifen-inducible chimeric Cre recombinase …

T Imai, M Jiang, P Chambon… - Proceedings of the …, 2001 - National Acad Sciences
T Imai, M Jiang, P Chambon, D Metzger
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2001National Acad Sciences
Retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) is involved in multiple signaling pathways, as a heterodimeric
partner of several nuclear receptors. To investigate its function in energy homeostasis, we
have selectively ablated the RXRα gene in adipocytes of 4-week-old transgenic mice by
using the tamoxifen-inducible Cre-ERT2 recombination system. Mice lacking RXRα in
adipocytes were resistant to dietary and chemically induced obesity and impaired in fasting-
induced lipolysis. Our results also indicate that RXRα is involved in adipocyte differentiation …
Retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) is involved in multiple signaling pathways, as a heterodimeric partner of several nuclear receptors. To investigate its function in energy homeostasis, we have selectively ablated the RXRα gene in adipocytes of 4-week-old transgenic mice by using the tamoxifen-inducible Cre-ERT2 recombination system. Mice lacking RXRα in adipocytes were resistant to dietary and chemically induced obesity and impaired in fasting-induced lipolysis. Our results also indicate that RXRα is involved in adipocyte differentiation. Thus, our data demonstrate the feasibility of adipocyte-selective temporally controlled gene engineering and reveal a central role of RXRα in adipogenesis, probably as a heterodimeric partner for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ.
National Acad Sciences