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Relationship between peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and retinoic acid receptor alpha gene expression in obese human adipose tissue

International Journal of Obesity volume 26, pages 920–927 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To investigate in human adipose tissue a possible relationship between per oxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) gene expression, two genes involved in the control of adipocyte differentiation.

Subjects: Ten lean control women (age 31–60 y, body mass index (BMI) 18–24.7 kg/m2) and an obese group of 15 women (age 27–62 y, BMI 30–57.5 kg/m2), of whom 10 subjects were in weight-gain phase and five were in weight-loss phase.

Measurements: We assessed the relative PPARγ and RARα mRNA levels in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue using a real-time PCR method.

Results: PPARγ mRNA level were significantly increased (+91%; P<0.01) in obese women compared to lean control women. In the obese group, we observed a PPARγ mRNA level 42% lower in weight-loss obese than in weight-gain obese subjects. We obtained a positive correlation (r=0.56; P<0.01) between PPARγ mRNA level and the BMI of all subjects. Relative mRNA abundance level of RARα in subcutaneous adipose tissue of obese subjects is significantly lower than in control subjects (−56%, P<0.01), and a negative correlation was found between PPARγ and RARα mRNA levels in subcutaneous adipose tissue of subjects study (r=−0.75; P<0.01).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that obesity is associated with an inverse relationship between PPARγ and RARα expressions in human subcutaneous adipose tissue. Modulations of nuclear receptor profile could be an important event in the body's early adaptive mechanisms promoting adipose tissue plasticity and leading to the onset of obesity.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to C Boué and N Combe from ITERG (Pessac, France) for their assistance and advice. This work was supported by the Conseil Régional d'Aquitaine (Pôle Aquitaine Agro-Alimentaire and Nutrition), the French Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche, ‘Le Comité de la Gironde de la Ligue Contre le Cancer’ and ‘l'Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique’.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Nutrition et Signalisation Cellulaire (USC-INRA), ISTAB, Université Bordeaux I, Talence, France

    A Redonnet, S Bonilla, C Noël-Suberville, V Pallet & P Higueret

  2. Service de Nutrition-Diabétologie, Hôpital du Haut Lévêque, Pessac, France

    H Dabadie & H Gin

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  1. A Redonnet
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  2. S Bonilla
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  7. P Higueret
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Correspondence to P Higueret.

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Redonnet, A., Bonilla, S., Noël-Suberville, C. et al. Relationship between peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and retinoic acid receptor alpha gene expression in obese human adipose tissue. Int J Obes 26, 920–927 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802025

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