AUGMENTED EXPRESSION OF OBESE (OB) GENE DURING THE PROCESS OF OBESITYIN GENETICALLY OBESE-HYPERGLYCEMIC WISTAR FATTY (FA FA) RATS/

Expression of the obese (ob) gene is up-regulated in the adipose tissu e in several obese rodent models. To study the regulation of the ob ge ne expression during the development of obesity, we examined the ob ge ne expression in genetically obese-hyperglycemic Wistar fatty (falfa) rats at several stages of obesity. The ob mRNA levels in the adipose t issue from Wistar fatty rats was unequivocally augmented and continued to rise in the process of obesity. Furthermore, the ob gene expressio n in this obese model was much more rapidly enhanced in the mesenteric fat than in the subcutaneous fat. Moreover, the ob gene expression wa s more greatly augmented in the mesenteric fat than the lipoprotein li pase gene expression. These results suggest the presence of obesity-li nked and region-specific regulation of the ob gene expression.