BMP Inhibition with Dorsomorphin Limits Adipogenic Potential of Preadipocytes

Previous Studies revealed that bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) induces commitment to the adipocyte lineage in pluripotent stem cells The present study explored the role of endogenous BMP activity in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes The expression of phospho-Smad1/5/8 was monitored because 13 MP transmits its signal through Smad1/5/8 phosphorylation Phosphorylated Smad1/5/8 was higher in proliferating preadipocytes and lower in differentiating adipocytes after removing differentiation inducers Reporter assays revealed that dorsomorphin predominantly inhibits the BMP pathway but not the structurally related TGF-beta/activin pathway The addition of dorsomorphin to the culture medium prior to treatment with differentiation inducers impaired lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells The present study indicated that activation a BMP signaling in preadipocytes is required for these cells to initiate the adipoizenic program