Discipline: Biological Sciences
Subcategory: Genetics
Shunsey Brooks - Savannah State University
Co-Author(s): Johnny Johnson, Savannah State University, Savannah, GA
Previous data confirms that 3T3-L1 cells contain endogenous Notch receptors that can be activated by a ligand (Ross D. et al., 2004). Because Hes-1 is a direct target of the Notch signaling pathway, it has been proposed that Notch signaling inhibits adipogenesis by stimulating and maintaining Hes-1 expression (Ross D. et al., 2004). The mechanism by which Hes-1 blocks differentiation, however, is not clear. Hes-1 acts distal to CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP), beta (C/EBPβ) induction and prior to or at the point of peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptors (PPARγ) and C/EBPα induction (Ross D. et al., 2004). Discovering that the Hes-1 block can be rescued by either C/EBPα or PPARγ suggests that Hes-1 does not affect the activity of either of these transcription factors (Ross D. et al., 2004). In summary, the proposed study is to determine the effect of Porphoryn-Like compounds on GLP-1 induced adipogenesis, using 3T3 L-1 preadipocytes, and to determine if Porphoryn-Like compounds are involved in endogenous notch cleavage so that Hes-1 is down-regulated in order for differentiation to take place.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): NSF-MAGEC-STEM
Faculty Advisor: Johnny Johnson,