The Histone Methyltransferase SMYD1 is Induced by Thermogenic Stimuli in Adipose Tissue

Abstract

Aim:

To study the expression of histone methyltransferase SMYD1 in white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue and during differentiation of preadipocytes to white and beige phenotypes.

Methods:

C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet (and exposed to cold) and 3T3-L1 cells stimulated to differentiate into white and beige adipocytes were used.

Results:

SMYD1 expression increased in WAT of high-fat diet fed mice and in WAT and brown adipose tissue of cold-exposed mice, suggesting its role in thermogenesis. SMYD1 expression was higher in beige adipocytes than in white adipocytes, and its silencing leads to a decrease in mitochondrial content and in Pgc-1α expression.

Conclusion:

These data suggest a novel role for SMYD1 as a positive regulator of energy control in adipose tissue.

Plain language summary

In this study, a protein called SMYD1 was examined in the adipose tissue of mice to understand its role in the development of different types of fat cells. The authors used mice fed a high-fat diet or mice exposed to a cold environment. The experiments were also performed on cultured cells that were stimulated to form specific types of fat cells (white adipocytes, which store energy; or beige adipocytes, which are responsible for releasing energy in the form of heat). The study found that SMYD1 increased in white adipose tissue particularly in response to cold exposure and high-fat diet, suggesting involvement in body temperature regulation. SMYD1 was higher in beige adipocytes than in white fat cells, and when SMYD1 was reduced, there was a decrease in certain factors related to energy control. Overall, these results suggest that SMYD1 plays a novel role in energy regulation in adipose tissues.

Keywords::

• adipose tissue
• browning
• gene expression
• histone methyltransferase
• metabolism
• obesity

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/epi-2023-0381

Author contributions

A Cicatiello, A Nappi and F Franchini performed in vitro and in vivo experiments, contributed to writing a draft of the article and prepared figures. I Nettore performed PCR array analysis, analyzed the results and provided scientific interpretations. M Raia performed the FACS analysis studies. C Rocca and T Angelone provided critical reading of the manuscript and scientific interpretations of the data. M Dentice supervised the experiments, analyzed the results, provided scientific interpretations and contributed to writing the manuscript. P Macchia and P Ungaro designed the overall study, supervised the experiments, analyzed the results and wrote the manuscript. All authors discussed the results and provided input to the manuscript.

Financial disclosure

This work was partially supported by the project entitled ‘Nanofotonica per nuovi approcci diagnostici e terapEutici in Oncologia e Neurologia (NeON)’; by PRIN from Ministero dell’Istruzione, Università e Ricerca – MIUR (grant no. 20173CRP3H_002); and by Telethon Institute (grant no. GMR22T1020). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Competing interests disclosure

The authors have no competing interests or relevant affiliations with any organization or entity with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Writing disclosure

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

Animals were handled according to National and European Community guidelines, and protocols were approved by the Animal Research Committee of the University of Naples ‘Federico II’ (MIUR, approval code: 354/2019-PR).