The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on 3T3-L1 cell differentiation, by quantitating peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1 (SREBP1), and serine-threonine kinase cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (cdk4), which are critical for adipogenesis. 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells were cultured and differentiated with the standard differentiation medium. Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay determined 3T3-L1 cell viability. ZnO nanoparticles increased the lipid accumulation in differentiated adipocytes as evidenced by Oil Red O staining. The quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis showed that the PPARγ, FABP4, C/EBPα, and SREBP1 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was significantly increased in the ZnO nanoparticle-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Western blot analysis showed increased PPARγ, FABP4, C/EBPα, and SREBP1 protein expression compared to their respective controls. Also, the immunofluorescence study showed the increased cdk4 and PPARγ expression in the nanoparticle-treated cells. Taking all these data together, it is concluded that ZnO nanoparticles may be a potent substance to alter 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis.
Keywords: 3T3-L1 cells; Differentiation; Lipid accumulation; SRB assay; ZnO nanoparticles.