Promyelocytic leukemia inhibits adipogenesis, and loss of promyelocytic leukemia results in fat accumulation in mice

MK Kim, S Yang, KH Lee, JH Um… - American Journal …, 2011 - journals.physiology.org
MK Kim, S Yang, KH Lee, JH Um, M Liu, H Kang, SJ Park, JH Chung
American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2011journals.physiology.org
The function of the tumor suppressor promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein is disrupted in
promyelocytic leukemia. PML has been reported to function as a negative regulator of mTOR
(mammalian target of rapamycin) and nuclear Akt under some conditions. mTOR and Akt
pathways regulate a diverse array of pathways, including those that control insulin signaling,
energy metabolism, growth, cellular survival, and lifespan. Although the PML-mTOR/Akt link
suggests that PML may have metabolic functions in the whole organism, very little is known …
The function of the tumor suppressor promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein is disrupted in promyelocytic leukemia. PML has been reported to function as a negative regulator of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) and nuclear Akt under some conditions. mTOR and Akt pathways regulate a diverse array of pathways, including those that control insulin signaling, energy metabolism, growth, cellular survival, and lifespan. Although the PML-mTOR/Akt link suggests that PML may have metabolic functions in the whole organism, very little is known about the metabolic functions of PML. Here we report that PML−/− mice did not show any significant metabolic defects. There was no impairment in the mTOR/Akt or AMPK signaling in white adipose tissue, liver, or muscle. However, despite having normal food intake and activity levels, PML−/− mice gained body weight faster and had more fat mass, particularly subcutaneous fat mass, in the diet-induced obesity model. Using in vitro adipogenesis models, we discovered that PML is a suppressor of adipogenesis. PML expression decreased during adipogenesis and was undetectable in fully differentiated adipocytes. Loss of PML increased expression of the adipogenic transcription factors CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ. We found that the Sirt1-NCor-SMRT corepressor complex, which represses pparg transcription, does not bind to the pparg promoter efficiently upon PML depletion. On the basis of these findings, we propose that PML is a negative regulator of the adipogenic transcription factors and that, in times of energy excess, PML may limit fat accumulation by suppressing the differentiation of preadipocytes into adipocytes.
American Physiological Society