The size of the primary cilium and acetylated tubulin are modulated during adipocyte differentiation: Analysis of HDAC6 functions in these processes

•Acetylated α-tubulin increases during the first day of adipogenesis.•HDAC6 controls adipocyte differentiation.•HDAC6 is not sufficient for the loss of the primary cilium in adipogenesis.

The primary cilium is an organelle present in most of the cells of the organism. Ciliopathies, such as the Bardet Biedl and the Alstrom syndromes are associated with obesity. We, and others, have shown that the primary cilium undergoes size modifications during adipocyte differentiation of human adipose stromal cells. We show here that the levels of acetylated α-tubulin, a constituent of the primary cilium, and the expression of HDAC6, the enzyme that deacetylates α-tubulin and is responsible for the loss of the cilium during mitosis, are modulated during adipogenesis. Moreover, during adipocyte differentiation cells that express higher level of HDAC6 are the first to lose their primary cilium. We have investigated the function of HDAC6 on adipocyte differentiation and on the primary cilium. We observe that inhibition of HDAC6 activity leads to a decrease in adipocyte differentiation. This is associated with an inhibition of the initial elongation of the cilium. Interestingly, overexpression of HDAC6 inhibits adipocyte differentiation and blunts the elongation of the primary cilium. In both situations, inhibition of adipocyte differentiation was not associated with an inhibition of the glucocorticoid receptor activity. This indicates that HDAC6 controls adipogenesis through the levels of acetylated α-tubulin. Moreover, we show that although HDAC6 expression increases during adipocyte differentiation it is not sufficient to provoke the loss of the cilium. This suggests the existence of a novel mechanism for the loss of the cilium. Together, these data indicate that HDAC6, and acetylated α-tubulin, are important regulator of adipocyte differentiation.