Regulation of UCP gene expression in brown adipocytes differentiated in primary culture. Effects of a new beta-adrenoceptor agonist.

Primary cultures of precursor cells from mouse and rat brown adipose tissue (BAT) were used to study the effect of a new beta-agonist (ICI D7114) on the uncoupling protein (UCP) gene expression. ICI 215001 (the active metabolite of D7114) increased the expression of UCP and its mRNA in brown adipocytes differentiating in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. This stimulating effect was not inhibited by propranolol, a non-specific beta-antagonist, but was partially reduced by bupranolol, a beta 3-antagonist. No expression of UCP mRNA was ever induced by ICI 215001 in white adipocytes differentiated in vitro. It was concluded that the drug could affect the brown adipose cells through a beta 3-pathway. It could clearly modulate the expression of UCP in brown adipocytes differentiated in vitro, but was not able by itself to turn on the gene.