Level D· Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studiesAnimal StudyPubMedOpen access

Wt1 facilitates visceral beige fat formation to combat abdominal obesity.

He LF., Liao ZM., Chen JL., Yang ZC.

Animal Study, published in Adipocyte (2026) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.

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Level D· Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studiesEvidence level of this study

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

  • Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
  • Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
  • Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
  • Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
  • Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
Read the A–D evidence level guide

This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.

Study type
Animal Study
Journal
Adipocyte (2026)
Country
United States
Reported sample size
—
Source database
PubMed
PMID
42125880
PMCID
PMC13174006
DOI
10.1080/21623945.2026.2658408

Abstract (original English)

Visceral fat has weaker beige adipogenesis than subcutaneous fat with unclear mechanisms. The Wilms tumour gene (Wt1), a visceral adipocyte marker, is highly expressed in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and visceral adipose-derived stem cells (vADSCs). In our present study, we found its protein levels in VAT decreased under high-fat diet or dexamethasone treatment, but rised in cold exposure or β3-adrenergic receptor agonist treatment, and positively correlate with uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1). Wt1 knockdown in vADSCs elevated PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16) and UCP1 mRNA but reduced their protein levels, alongside decreased ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 9 (UBC9). Knockdown of UBC9 did not affect the mRNA levels of Wt1, PRDM16 or UCP1, but significantly reduced PRDM16 and UCP1 protein levels. Glucocorticoids including hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone and dexamethasone (Dex) dose-dependently suppress Wt1, UCP1, Alpha-enolase (ENO1) and Pyruvate kinase muscle isozyme M2 (PKM2) levels, which could be reversed by Wt1 overexpression. These findings explore the effects of Wt1 on beige remodelling of visceral adipose which might be related to the up-regulation of UBC9, and provide clues for treating abdominal obesity caused either by HFD or by glucocorticoids in a non-sympathetic-dependent manner.

What this study does not prove

  • • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
  • • This is preclinical work; animal or laboratory results cannot be applied to humans.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

How we grade evidence
AnimalsIntra-Abdominal FatObesity, AbdominalWT1 ProteinsAdipose Tissue, BeigeMaleUncoupling Protein 1MiceDiet, High-FatAdipogenesis

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