OBJECTIVE-Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophy type 2 (BSCL2) is a recessive disorder featuring near complete absence of adipose tissue. Remarkably, although the causative gene, BSCL2, has been known for several years, its molecular function and its role in adipose tissue development have not been elucidated. Therefore, we examined whether BSCL2 is involved in the regulation of adipocyte differentiation and the mechanism whereby pathogenic mutations in BSCL2 cause lipodystrophy.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-Following the characterization of BSCL2 expression in developing adipocytes, C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells were generated in which BSCL2 expression was knocked down using short hairpin RNA (shRNA). These cells were used to investigate whether BSCL2 is required for adipogenesis. BSCL2 constructs harboring pathogenic mutations known to cause lipodystrophy were also generated and characterized.RESULTS-BSCL2 expression was strongly induced during adipocyte differentiation, and the induction of BSCL2 expression was essential for adipogenesis to occur. The initial induction of key adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)␥ and CAAT/enhancerbinding protein-␣, was preserved in cells lacking BSCL2. However, the expression of these critical factors was not sustained, suggesting that the activity of PPAR␥ was impaired. Moreover, expression of key genes mediating triglyceride synthesis, including AGPAT2, lipin 1, and DGAT2, was persistently reduced and lipid accumulation was inhibited. Analysis of pathogenic missense mutants of BSCL2 revealed that the amino acid substitution A212P causes aberrant targeting of BSCL2 within the cell, suggesting that subcellular localization of BSCL2 may be critical to its function.CONCLUSIONS-This study demonstrates that BSCL2 is an essential, cell-autonomous regulator of adipogenesis. Diabetes

Glucokinase (GK) has a major role in the control of blood glucose homeostasis and is a strong potential target for the pharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes. We report here the mechanism of action of two novel and potent direct activators of GK: 6-[(3-isobutoxy-5-isopropoxybenzoyl)amino]nicotinic acid (GKA1) and 5-({3-isopropoxy-5-[2-(3-thienyl)ethoxy] benzoyl}amino)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-carboxylic acid (GKA2), which increase the affinity of GK for glucose by 4-and 11-fold, respectively. GKA1 increased the affinity of GK for the competitive inhibitor mannoheptulose but did not affect the affinity for the inhibitors palmitoylCoA and the endogenous 68-kDa regulator (GK regulatory protein [GKRP]), which bind to allosteric sites or to N-acetylglucosamine, which binds to the catalytic site. In hepatocytes, GKA1 and GKA2 stimulated glucose phosphorylation, glycolysis, and glycogen synthesis to a similar extent as sorbitol, a precursor of fructose 1-phosphate, which indirectly activates GK through promoting its dissociation from GKRP. Consistent with their effects on isolated GK, these compounds also increased the affinity of hepatocyte metabolism for glucose. GKA1 and GKA2 caused translocation of GK from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. This effect was additive with the effect of sorbitol and is best explained by a "glucose-like" effect of the GK activators in translocating GK to the cytoplasm. In conclusion, GK activators are potential antihyperglycemic agents for the treatment of type 2 diabetes through the stimulation of hepatic glucose metabolism by a mechanism independent of GKRP. Diabetes 53:535-541, 2004

The transcription factor SREBP1c (sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein 1c) is highly expressed in adipose tissue and plays a central role in several aspects of adipocyte development including the induction of PPARγ (peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor γ), the generation of an endogenous PPARγ ligand and the expression of several genes critical for lipid biosynthesis. Despite its significance, the regulation of SREBP1c expression during adipogenesis is not well characterized. We have noted that in several models of adipogenesis, SREBP1c expression closely mimics that of known C/EBPβ (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β) targets. Inhibition of C/EBP activity during adipogenesis by expressing either the dominant-negative C/EBPβ LIP (liver-enriched inhibitory protein) isoform, the co-repressor ETO (eight-twenty one/MTG8) or using siRNAs (small interfering RNAs) targeting either C/EBPβ or C/EBPδ significantly impaired early SREBP1c induction. Furthermore, ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) assays identified specific sequences in the SREBP1c promoter to which C/EBPβ and C/EBPδ bind in intact cells, demonstrating that these factors may directly regulate SREBP1c expression. Using cells in which C/EBPα expression is inhibited using shRNA (short hairpin RNA) and ChIP assays we show that C/EBPα replaces C/EBPβ and C/EBPδ as a regulator of SREBP1c expression in maturing adipocytes. These results provide novel insight into the induction of SREBP1c expression during adipogenesis. Moreover, the findings of the present study identify an important additional mechanism via which the C/EBP transcription factors may control a network of gene expression regulating adipogenesis, lipogenesis and insulin sensitivity.