TY - JOUR AU - Hudak, Carolyn AU - Sul, Hei Sook PY - 2013 M3 - Review TI - Pref-1, a Gatekeeper of Adipogenesis JO - Frontiers in Endocrinology UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2013.00079 VL - 4 SN - 1664-2392 N2 - Preadipocyte factor 1 (Pref-1, also called Dlk1/FA1) is a molecular gatekeeper of adipogenesis which acts by maintaining the preadipocyte state and preventing adipocyte differentiation. Pref-1 is made as an epidermal growth factor-like repeat containing transmembrane protein, and is cleaved by TNFα-converting enzyme (TACE) to generate a soluble form, which acts as an autocrine/paracrine factor. Pref-1 upregulates Sox9 expression by activating the ERK/MAPK pathway and the Pref-1 interaction with fibronectin is required for inhibition of adipogenesis. Pref-1 also prevents brown adipocyte differentiation and its thermogenic function. Here, we highlight the recent evidence for the role of Pref-1 in adipogenesis. ER -