The expression of porcine adiponectin and stearoyl coenzyme a desaturase genes in differentiating adipocytes

The gene expression of porcine adiponectin and stearoyl coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) was investigated in this study. The partial gene sequences for adiponectin and SCD were amplified by RT-PCR from subcutaneous adipose tissue and cloned by TA cloning techniques. Sequences of these genes were determined and found to be highly homologous to that of other species, suggesting similar function of these genes as in other species. The transcripts of these adipocyte-related genes in pig tissues were measured by Northern analysis. The transcripts for adiponectin and SCD were highly expressed in porcine subcutaneous adipose tissue; the transcripts for SCD were also barely detected in the liver, but the greatest concentrations were in the adipose tissue. In porcine stromal-vascular cells (S/V cells) cultured in vitro, transcripts for adiponectin and SCD increased gradually during adipocyte differentiation. The level of adipocyte adiponectin mRNA was associated with late adipocyte differentiation, indicating the gene may not be involved in adipocyte differentiation but has great importance in porcine adipocyte functions. The SCD transcripts were not detectable until 2 d after induction of adipocyte differentiation. It was highly expressed in differentiating porcine adipocytes (2 to 10 d after the induction of adipocyte differentiation), indicating a significant role of SCD in adipocytes.