Poly(ADP-Ribose)Polymerase-1 (PARP1) Controls Adipogenic Gene Expression and Adipocyte Function

Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1 (PARP1) is a chromatin-associated enzyme that was described to affect chromatin compaction. Previous reports suggested a dynamic modulation of the chromatin landscape during adipocyte differentiation. We thus hypothesized that PARP1 plays an important transcriptional role in adipogenesis and metabolism and therefore used adipocyte development and function as a model to elucidate the molecular action of PARP1 in obesity-related diseases. Our results show that PARP1-dependent ADP-ribose polymer (PAR) formation increases during adipocyte development and, at late time points of adipogenesis, is involved in the sustained expression of PPARγ2 and of PPARγ2 target genes. During adipogenesis, PARP1 was recruited to PPARγ2 target genes such as CD36 or aP2 in a PAR-dependent manner. Our results also reveal a PAR-dependent decrease in repressory histone marks (e.g. H3K9me3) and an increase in stimulatory marks (e.g. H3K4me3) at the PPARγ2 promoter, suggesting that PARP1 may exert its reg...