Comparative transcriptome analysis of DFAT cells after the treatment with Y-27632 and the transfection of Mkl1 siRNA

Cellular differentiation is regulated through activation and repression of defined transcription factors. A hallmark of differentiation is a pronounced change in cell shape, which is determined by dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton. In de-differentiated fat (DFAT) cells and 3T3-L1 cells, we showed that treatment with the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632, by inducing remodeling of the actin cytoskelton, causes adipocyte differentiation. In addition, we found that depletion of MKL1, an actin binding transcriptional coactivator, elicits adipogenesis. To investigate whether regulation of MKL1 by actin cytoskeleton dynamics drives adipocyte differentiation, we compared the gene expression changes resulting from DFAT cells after treatment with Y-27632 and transfection of Mkl1 siRNA. Using Affymetrix mouse genome array, we compared global gene expression profiles in DFAT cells after treatment with Y-27632 and transfection with Mkl1 siRNA to search for particular biological functions in genes of which expression intensities were increased and decreased.