Fig. 1.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has a low expression in mature adipocytes although the expression is increased in adipose tissue in obesity. A: mRNA of Hgf, vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegf), and tumor necrosis factor (Tnf)-α in the epididymal fat of diet-induced obesity (DIO) and ob/ob mice. The test was conducted in DIO mice at 16 wk on HFD and ob/ob mice at 8 wk of age. B: regulation of Hgf expression during adipogenesis. Confluent 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were treated with the adipogenic cocktail (5 μg/ml insulin, 0.5 mmol/l isobutyl methylxanthine, and 10 μmol/l dexamethasone) for 4 days followed by insulin-supplemented medium for an additional 3 days. The normal medium was used at day 7 to maintain the adipocytes. Hgf and Vegf mRNA levels were detected in the undifferentiated and differentiated cells. Data are expressed as means ± SE (n = 4). Compared with chow or lean mice in A or control in B: *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, and ****P < 0.0001.