POU2AF1 promotes MSCs adipogenesis by inhibiting HDAC1 expression

Excessive production of visceral adipose is a major risk factor of many diseases. Inhibiting the adipogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) will be an efficient way to block adipose production. We illuminated POU class 2 homeobox associating factor 1 (POU2AF1) may promote MSCs adipogenesis by histone deacetylases 1 (HDAC1) signalling. Human retroperitoneal adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from overweight and control groups of patients. IncRNA microarray was used to identified gene expression levels. Adenovirus transduction and cellular small-interfering RNA transfection were used to achieve overexpression and interference of POU2AF1 or HDAC1. Adipogenesis was identified by Oil-red O staining, triglycende, cholesterol assay, real-time PCR and Western Blot. POU2AF1 expression was upregulated in retroperitoneal adipose tissue of overweight patients, and increased during adipogenesis. Overexpression of POU2AF1 promoted spontaneous adipogenesis without adipogenic treatment. Silencing of endogenous POU2AF1 in MSCs inhibited adipogenesis. Overexpression of POU2AF1 alleviated the translocation of HDAC1 to the nucleus. The mRNA level of HDAC1 was also reduced. Co-transfection of Ad-POU2AF1 and Ad-HDAC1 partially reversed the promotion effect of POU2AF1 overexpression in MSCs spontaneous adipogenic differentiation. POU2AF1 involves in the natural differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. Overexpression or silencing POU2AF1 could effectively induce or inhibit the adipogenesis by HDAC1 signaling.