RNA interfering approach for clarifying the PPARγ pathway using lentiviral vector expressing short hairpin RNA

AbstractPeroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) plays a central role in adipocyte differentiation and insulin sensitivity. Although PPARγ also appears to regulate diverse cellular processes in other cell types such as lymphocytes, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we established a lentivirus-mediated short hairpin RNA expression system and identified a potent short hairpin RNA which suppresses PPARγ expression, resulting in marked inhibition of preadipocyte-to-adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. Our PPARγ-knockdown method will serve to clarify the PPARγ pathway in various cell types in vivo and in vitro, and will facilitate the development of therapeutic applications for a variety of diseases