Inhibition of C/EBP causes lipodystrophy in mice

Lipodystrophy, the paucity of adipose tissue, leads to a number of diseases, including insulin resistance. Adipose tissue is important in the regulation of glucose and lipid homeostasis. Chatterjee and colleagues have found that inactivation of the transcription factor CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) family in the adipose tissue of transgenic mice specifically causes the lipoatrophy phenotype. Mice had no white adipose tissue, reduced brown adipose tissue and exhibited glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and decreased levels of leptin and adiponectin, compared to wild type mice. The C/EBP family is thus essential for adipose tissue development. Chatterjee et al. (2011) Journal of Molecular Endocrinology 46 175–192.

Read the full article at DOI:10.1530/JME-10-0172.