ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the expression of STEAP4 gene(a novel obesity-related gene) during the period of human preadipocyte differentiation and to explore the relationship between the STEAP4 gene expression and adipocytes differentiation,adipogenesis.Methods Human preadipocytes were cultured and differentiated into the matured adipocytes in vitro.Adipocytes morphology and lipid accumulation were observed during this process.Total RNA was extracted from adipocytes at various time points (preadipocyte,Day 0,Day 4,Day 6,Day 8,Day 11,Day 14,and Day 17) and the level of STEAP4 mRNA expression was measured by fluorescent real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polyme-rase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results The level of STEAP4 mRNA expression remained high in preadipocytes.In the presence of differentiation medium (Day 4),there was a transient upregulation in the expression of STEAP4 gene.After that,with the human preadipocytes being differentiated into matured adipocytes,the expression of STEAP4 mRNA was downregulated and reached the lowest level in fully differentiated adipocytes.There was a significant difference between any 2 detected phases in the level of STEAP4 mRNA expression (Pa