Oestrogen suppresses the adipogenesis of fibro/adipogenic progenitors through reactivating the METTL3–ESR1‐mediated loop in post‐menopausal females

Abstract Background Post‐menopausal women experience more severe muscular fatty infiltration, though the mechanisms remain unclear. The decline in estrogen levels is considered as a critical physiological alteration during post‐menopause. Fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) are identified as major c...

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Main Authors: Hao Zhou, Shujing Feng, Jinkui Cai, Xiexiang Shao, Siyuan Zhu, Han Zhou, Yongmin Cao, Ru Wang, Xingzuan Lin, Jianhua Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-02-01
Series:Clinical and Translational Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ctm2.70206
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author Hao Zhou
Shujing Feng
Jinkui Cai
Xiexiang Shao
Siyuan Zhu
Han Zhou
Yongmin Cao
Ru Wang
Xingzuan Lin
Jianhua Wang
author_facet Hao Zhou
Shujing Feng
Jinkui Cai
Xiexiang Shao
Siyuan Zhu
Han Zhou
Yongmin Cao
Ru Wang
Xingzuan Lin
Jianhua Wang
author_sort Hao Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Post‐menopausal women experience more severe muscular fatty infiltration, though the mechanisms remain unclear. The decline in estrogen levels is considered as a critical physiological alteration during post‐menopause. Fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) are identified as major contributors to muscular fatty infiltration. This study aimed to investigate the detailed mechanism underlying the excessive muscular fatty infiltration in postmenopausal females. Methods Supraspinatus muscle samples were collected from female patients with or without menopause, and from mice with or without ovariectomy (OVX), to evaluate muscular fatty infiltration and isolated FAPs. The expressions of (estrogen receptor 1) ESR1, methyltransferase‐like 3 (METTL3), and adipogenesis ability in FAPs from post‐menopausal women and OVX mice were investigated. RNA sequencing (RNA‐Seq) was performed to explore the gene expression profiles and potential mechanisms in FAPs from Pdgfrα‐CreERT2; Esr1 knockout (Esr1 KO) mice and Esr1 flox/flox (Esr1 f/f) mice. The interplay of the METTL3‐ESR1 mediated loop and its role in regulating adipogenesis in FAPs were investigated using dual luciferase reporter assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and protein and RNA stability assays. The effects of estrogen supplementation on muscular fatty infiltration and locomotor function in OVX mice were evaluated by immunofluorescent staining and functional analysis. Results Decreased expression of ESR1/METTL3 and increased adipogenesis ability in FAPs was found in post‐menopausal female. METTL3‐mediated m6A methylation promoted ESR1 mRNA stability at the post‐transcriptional level in FAPs. METTL3‐mediated m6A modification promoted ESR1 expression by stabilizing ESR1 mRNA, while ESR1 acted as a transcription factor that enhanced METTL3 transcription in turn. ESR1 also suppressed the transcription of the adipogenic transcription factor peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), thereby inhibiting adipogenesis in FAPs. Reactivation of the METTL3‐ESR1 mediated loop by estrogen alleviated excessive adipogenesis in FAPs from post‐menopausal women, and it also reduced muscular fatty infiltration, and improved locomotor function in OVX mice. Conclusion Excessive muscular fatty infiltration in post‐menopausal women arose from the disruption of the METTL3‐ESR1 mediated loop of FAPs due to estrogen deficiency. Reactivation of the METTL3‐ESR1 mediated loop by estrogen may serve as a novel intervention to inhibit excessive adipogenesis of post‐menopausal female FAPs, thereby ameliorating muscular fatty infiltration and improving locomotor function in post‐menopausal females. Key points Oestrogen insufficiency disrupted the METTL3ESR1 loop in post‐menopausal FAPs, causing excessive muscular fatty infiltration. METTL3‐mediated m6A modification stabilized ESR1 mRNA and enhanced ESR1 expression, while increased ESR1 further promoted METTL3 transcription. ESR1 inhibited the transcription of adipogenic factor PPARγ, ameliorating adipogenesis in FAPs. Reactivating the METTL3ESR1 loop via oestrogen in FAPs reduced muscular fatty infiltration and improved locomotor function.
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spelling doaj-art-54f1d5e0f2194bc58db858fff070a42a2025-08-20T03:03:28ZengWileyClinical and Translational Medicine2001-13262025-02-01152n/an/a10.1002/ctm2.70206Oestrogen suppresses the adipogenesis of fibro/adipogenic progenitors through reactivating the METTL3–ESR1‐mediated loop in post‐menopausal femalesHao Zhou0Shujing Feng1Jinkui Cai2Xiexiang Shao3Siyuan Zhu4Han Zhou5Yongmin Cao6Ru Wang7Xingzuan Lin8Jianhua Wang9Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai ChinaSchool of Exercise and Health Shanghai University of Sport Shanghai ChinaWuhan Third Hospital Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaXinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai ChinaDepartment of Hand Surgery Huashan Hospital Fudan University Shanghai ChinaXinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai ChinaSchool of Exercise and Health Shanghai University of Sport Shanghai ChinaSchool of Exercise and Health Shanghai University of Sport Shanghai ChinaPeking University Third Hospital Beijing ChinaXinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai ChinaAbstract Background Post‐menopausal women experience more severe muscular fatty infiltration, though the mechanisms remain unclear. The decline in estrogen levels is considered as a critical physiological alteration during post‐menopause. Fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) are identified as major contributors to muscular fatty infiltration. This study aimed to investigate the detailed mechanism underlying the excessive muscular fatty infiltration in postmenopausal females. Methods Supraspinatus muscle samples were collected from female patients with or without menopause, and from mice with or without ovariectomy (OVX), to evaluate muscular fatty infiltration and isolated FAPs. The expressions of (estrogen receptor 1) ESR1, methyltransferase‐like 3 (METTL3), and adipogenesis ability in FAPs from post‐menopausal women and OVX mice were investigated. RNA sequencing (RNA‐Seq) was performed to explore the gene expression profiles and potential mechanisms in FAPs from Pdgfrα‐CreERT2; Esr1 knockout (Esr1 KO) mice and Esr1 flox/flox (Esr1 f/f) mice. The interplay of the METTL3‐ESR1 mediated loop and its role in regulating adipogenesis in FAPs were investigated using dual luciferase reporter assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and protein and RNA stability assays. The effects of estrogen supplementation on muscular fatty infiltration and locomotor function in OVX mice were evaluated by immunofluorescent staining and functional analysis. Results Decreased expression of ESR1/METTL3 and increased adipogenesis ability in FAPs was found in post‐menopausal female. METTL3‐mediated m6A methylation promoted ESR1 mRNA stability at the post‐transcriptional level in FAPs. METTL3‐mediated m6A modification promoted ESR1 expression by stabilizing ESR1 mRNA, while ESR1 acted as a transcription factor that enhanced METTL3 transcription in turn. ESR1 also suppressed the transcription of the adipogenic transcription factor peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), thereby inhibiting adipogenesis in FAPs. Reactivation of the METTL3‐ESR1 mediated loop by estrogen alleviated excessive adipogenesis in FAPs from post‐menopausal women, and it also reduced muscular fatty infiltration, and improved locomotor function in OVX mice. Conclusion Excessive muscular fatty infiltration in post‐menopausal women arose from the disruption of the METTL3‐ESR1 mediated loop of FAPs due to estrogen deficiency. Reactivation of the METTL3‐ESR1 mediated loop by estrogen may serve as a novel intervention to inhibit excessive adipogenesis of post‐menopausal female FAPs, thereby ameliorating muscular fatty infiltration and improving locomotor function in post‐menopausal females. Key points Oestrogen insufficiency disrupted the METTL3ESR1 loop in post‐menopausal FAPs, causing excessive muscular fatty infiltration. METTL3‐mediated m6A modification stabilized ESR1 mRNA and enhanced ESR1 expression, while increased ESR1 further promoted METTL3 transcription. ESR1 inhibited the transcription of adipogenic factor PPARγ, ameliorating adipogenesis in FAPs. Reactivating the METTL3ESR1 loop via oestrogen in FAPs reduced muscular fatty infiltration and improved locomotor function.https://doi.org/10.1002/ctm2.70206adipogenesisESR1fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs)m6A methylationMETTL3muscular fatty infiltration
spellingShingle Hao Zhou
Shujing Feng
Jinkui Cai
Xiexiang Shao
Siyuan Zhu
Han Zhou
Yongmin Cao
Ru Wang
Xingzuan Lin
Jianhua Wang
Oestrogen suppresses the adipogenesis of fibro/adipogenic progenitors through reactivating the METTL3–ESR1‐mediated loop in post‐menopausal females
Clinical and Translational Medicine
adipogenesis
ESR1
fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs)
m6A methylation
METTL3
muscular fatty infiltration
title Oestrogen suppresses the adipogenesis of fibro/adipogenic progenitors through reactivating the METTL3–ESR1‐mediated loop in post‐menopausal females
title_full Oestrogen suppresses the adipogenesis of fibro/adipogenic progenitors through reactivating the METTL3–ESR1‐mediated loop in post‐menopausal females
title_fullStr Oestrogen suppresses the adipogenesis of fibro/adipogenic progenitors through reactivating the METTL3–ESR1‐mediated loop in post‐menopausal females
title_full_unstemmed Oestrogen suppresses the adipogenesis of fibro/adipogenic progenitors through reactivating the METTL3–ESR1‐mediated loop in post‐menopausal females
title_short Oestrogen suppresses the adipogenesis of fibro/adipogenic progenitors through reactivating the METTL3–ESR1‐mediated loop in post‐menopausal females
title_sort oestrogen suppresses the adipogenesis of fibro adipogenic progenitors through reactivating the mettl3 esr1 mediated loop in post menopausal females
topic adipogenesis
ESR1
fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs)
m6A methylation
METTL3
muscular fatty infiltration
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ctm2.70206
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