Nelfb Promotes Dermal White Adipose Tissue Formation Through RNA Polymerase II Mediated Adipogenic Gene Regulation

The study identifies Nelfb as a crucial transcriptional regulator necessary for the formation of dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT) and adipocyte differentiation. Deletion of Nelfb in preadipocyte lineages results in the failure of dWAT formation, perinatal lethality, and reduced expression of key adipogenic genes. Nelfb facilitates an open chromatin structure and stabilizes RNA Polymerase II binding, which is crucial for adipocyte differentiation. The study found that retroviral expression of Pparg or treatment with the Pparg agonist rosiglitazone could restore adipocyte differentiation and dWAT formation in Nelfb-deficient mice, highlighting Nelfb's essential role in adipogenesis and the potential therapeutic application of Pparg agonists in conditions of impaired adipogenesis.