PPARγ in adipocyte differentiation and metabolism – Novel insights from genome-wide studies

Adipocyte differentiation is controlled by a tightly regulated transcriptional cascade in which PPARγ and members of the C/EBP family are key players. Here we review the roles of PPARγ and C/EBPs in adipocyte differentiation with emphasis on the recently published genome-wide binding profiles for PPARγ and C/EBPα. Interestingly, these analyses show that PPARγ and C/EBPα binding sites are associated with most genes that are induced during adipogenesis suggesting direct activation of many more adipocyte genes than previously anticipated. Furthermore, an extensive overlap between the C/EBPα and PPARγ cistromes indicate a hitherto unrecognized direct crosstalk between these transcription factors. As more genome-wide data emerge in the future, this crosstalk will likely be found to include several other adipogenic transcription factors.