Acceleration of adipogenic differentiation via acetylation of malate dehydrogenase 2

Previously, we identified proteins showing a differential acetylation pattern during adipogenic differentiation. Here, we examined the role of malate dehydrogenase 2 (MDH2) acetylation in the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The acetylation level of MDH2 showed a dramatic increase during adipogenesis. The overexpression of wild-type MDH2 induced the significant acceleration of adipogenic differentiation. On the other hand, the acetylation-block mutant MDH2 showed significantly reduced adipogenic differentiation compared to the wild type. MDH2 acetylation enhances its enzymatic activity and consequently intracellular NADPH level. These results suggest that the acetylation of MDH2 was affected by the cellular energy state and subsequently regulated adipogenic differentiation.