<p>The timing of cell differentiation is important for development and renewal of well functioning organs and tissues. One protein involved in this process is Preadipocyte factor 1 (Pref-1). Most likely, the role of this protein is to maintain cells in an undifferentiated state. </p><p>The work presented in this thesis, has employed the rat as an animal model for the studies of Pref-1. Rat models of obesity (Zucker, ZO) and type II diabetes (Goto-Kakizaki, GK) were used to determine metabolic influence on Pref-1 and adipokine mRNA expression in adipose tissues.</p><p>The Pref-1 cleavage product was purified from rat amniotic fluid and physicochemically characterised. Concentration of Pref-1 in serum, amniotic fluid and urine was determined by ELISA. Soluble Pref-1 and the compartmentalisation of the protein were highly similar to what had previously been demonstrated in mice and humans.</p><p>Immunohistochemistry studies displayed similar staining patterns of Pref-1 in adrenal glands, ovaries and pituitary glands of non-pregnant and pregnant rats. This suggests that pregnancy do not influence the protein expression of Pref-1 in these organs.</p><p>In the GK rats, Pref-1 mRNA was altered and a decrease in the visceral compared to subcutaneous adipose depots was demonstrated, in contrast to the ZO rats. Additionally, adiponectin, leptin, IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA levels were altered in the diabetic strain, indicating that this animal model expresses many of the typical features of type II diabetes.</p><p>In conclusion, the rat is an appropriate model for studies of FA1/Pref-1/dlk. Pref-1 is highly elevated in fetal and maternal serum during pregnancy. However, the expression of Pref-1 in some endocrine tissues did not alter due to pregnancy. The mRNA expression of Pref-1 was altered between adipose depots and demonstrated to be affected by metabolic disturbances in the animals.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA/oai:DiVA.org:uu-7773 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Persdotter Hedlund, Gabriella |
| Publisher | Uppsala University, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala : Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary, text |
| Relation | Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Medicine, 1651-6206 ; 244 |
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