Troglitazone and Δ2Troglitazone Enhance Adiponectin Expression in Monocytes/Macrophages through the AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway
Figure 3
Troglitazone (TG) and Δ2troglitazone (Δ2TG) enhanced adiponectin mRNA and protein expression in THP-1 cells. ((a)–(d)) The expression of adiponectin mRNA was examined by quantitative RT-PCR. Macrophages were treated with 9 μM of TG for the indicated time (a) or with the indicated concentration of TG for 18 h (b). In addition, macrophages were treated with 9 μM of Δ2TG for the indicated time (c) or with the indicated concentration of Δ2TG for 18 h (d). GAPDH was used as the internal control. (e) Macrophages were incubated for 18 h with 9 μM of TG or Δ2TG and adiponectin protein expression was measured in cell lysates by Western blotting. β-actin was used as the loading control. (f) Macrophages were treated for 18 h with 9 μM TG or Δ2TG, and then, the distribution of adiponectin was analyzed by immunofluorescent microscopy. The merged images of adiponectin staining and DAPI were shown on the right panel. Adiponectin expression is indicated by green fluorescence (FITC) and nuclei by blue fluorescence (DAPI). The level of adiponectin expression was higher in TG or Δ2TG-treated cells. Scale bar = 50 μm. as compared to the untreated cells.
