Human antigen R (HuR) protein, a RNA binding protein (RBP), has been reported to  regulate essential steps in RNA metabolism and immune response in a variety of cell types,  but its function in metabolism remains unclear. This study identifies HuR as a major  repressor during adipogenesis. Knockdown and overexpression of HuR in primary adipocyte  culture enhances and inhibits adipogenesis in vitro, respectively. Fat-specific knockout of  HuR significantly enhances adipogenic gene program in all three major adipose tissues  including epidydimal, inguinal white and brown adipose tissue, accompanied with systemic  glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Conversely, transgenic overexpression of HuR in  adipose tissue prevents the HFD induced obesity by repressing adipogenesis.  Mechanistically, HuR may inhibit adipogenesis by recognizing and modulating the stability of  hundreds of adipocyte transcripts, including the mRNA of Insig1, a negative regulator during  adipogenesis. Taken together, our work establishes HuR as a novel posttranscriptional  regulator of adipogenesis and provides a new insight into how RNA processing contributes  to adipocyte development. SOURCE: Lei Sun (sun.lei@duke-nus.edu.sg) -  Duke-NUS

Pluto Bioinformatics

GSE124278: The RNA-binding protein HuR is a negative regulator in adipogenesis [RNA-seq]