Epigenetic regulation of adipogenesis by histone methylation - PubMed (original) (raw)

Review

Epigenetic regulation of adipogenesis by histone methylation

Kai Ge. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2012 Jul.

Abstract

Histone methylation is implicated in both gene activation and repression, depending on the specific lysine residue that gets methylated. Recent years have witnessed an explosive expansion of the list of remarkably site-specific histone methyltransferases and demethylases, which greatly facilitates the study on the biological functions of histone methylation in gene expression and cell differentiation in mammalian cells. Adipogenesis represents an excellent model system to understand transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of gene expression and cell differentiation. While transcriptional regulation of adipogenesis has been extensively studied, the roles of epigenetic mechanisms in particular histone methylation in regulation of adipogenesis have just begun to be understood. This review will summarize the recent progress on epigenetic regulation of adipogenesis by histone methylation, with a focus on histone H3K4 and H3K27. The available evidence suggests that site-specific histone methylations play critical roles in adipogenesis and control the expression of both positive and negative master regulators of adipogenesis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Chromatin in time and space.

Published by Elsevier B.V.

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Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1. Histone modifications

Acetylation (ac) generally correlates with gene activation. Histone lysine (K) methylations (me) that correlate with gene activation are shown in green while those correlated with gene repression are shown in red.

Figure 2

Figure 2. Histone lysine methyltransferases and demethylases

Histone lysine methylation is dynamically regulated by site-specific methyltransferases and demethylases.

Figure 3

Figure 3. Adipogenesis is positively regulated by a cascade of sequentially expressed adipogenic transcription factors

Adipocytes have been stained with Oil Red O and show red color. pCREB, phosphorylated CREB.

Figure 4

Figure 4. Epigenetic regulation of adipogenesis by histone H3K4 and H3K27 methylations

PTIP, a protein that associates with histone H3K4 methyltransferases MLL3/MLL4, is required for PPARγ and C/EBPα expression and adipogenesis. Ezh2 uses its histone H3K27 methyltransferase activity to constitutively repress Wnt genes and facilitate adipogenesis.

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