Epigenome analysis of statin-treated SGBS pre-adipocytes during differentiation. Epigenome analysis of statin-treated SGBS pre-adipocytes during differentiation

We investigated the role of statin treatment in adipocyte differentiation by using the in vitro pre-adipocyte SGBS cell line. We found that statins induced a reduction in adipogenesis by decreasing the mRNA expression of key transcriptional regulators, such as ADIPOQ and GLUT4. Therefore, we analysed the whole methylome of statin-treated cells, compared to DMSO-vehicle controls, using the 850K methylation arrays (Illumina) to identify putative effective genes. Overall design: Human pre-adipocyte SGBS cell line was differentiatied using standard protocol. The cells were treated with either 10 µM mevastatin, 10 µM atorvastatin or DMSO-vehicle control at day 6 of differentiation and continued until adipocyte maturation (day 12). This experiment was performed in 4 biological replicates. At day 12, DNA was isolated from the cells and methylation arrays were performed.

本研究以体外培养的人前脂肪细胞SGBS细胞系为模型，探究了他汀类药物（statin）处理在脂肪细胞分化过程中的调控作用。研究发现，他汀类药物可通过降低脂联素（ADIPOQ）、葡萄糖转运蛋白4（GLUT4）等关键转录调控因子的mRNA表达水平，抑制成脂过程。为此，本研究采用Illumina公司的850K甲基化芯片，对比他汀类药物处理组与二甲基亚砜（DMSO）溶剂对照组的细胞全甲基化组，以筛选潜在的效应基因。
整体实验设计：采用标准分化方案诱导人前脂肪细胞SGBS细胞系分化；于分化第6天，分别向细胞施加10 μM美伐他汀、10 μM阿托伐他汀或DMSO溶剂对照处理，持续至脂肪细胞成熟（第12天）；本实验设置4次生物学重复；于第12天收集细胞并提取DNA，随后开展甲基化芯片检测。