Prostaglandin F2 and EP2 Agonists Exert Different Effects on 3D 3T3-L1 Spheroids during Their Culture Phase.

To elucidate the effects of switching a PGF2α agonist, bimatoprost acid (BIM-A), to an EP2 agonist (Omidenepag-OMD; butaprost-Buta) or reversing the switching on adipose tissue, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cultures of 3T3-L1 cells were analyzed by lipid staining and according to the mRNA expression of adipogenesis-related genes ( Pparγ, Ap2 , and Leptin ), components of the extracellular matrix (ECM; collagen1 ( Col1 ), Col4 , Col6 , and fibronectin ( Fn )), and the sizes and stiffness of the 3D spheroids. Switching from BIM-A to EP2 agonists caused (1) suppression of lipid staining and downregulation of most adipogenesis-related genes, (2) smaller and stiffer 3D spheroids, and (3) upregulation of Col1 and Fn , downregulation of Col4 (2D), or up-regulation of all ECM genes (3D, BIM-A to OMD), as well as downregulation of Col6 (3D, BIM-A to Buta). In contrast, reversing the switching resulted in (1) an enhancement in lipid staining (2D) and a significant upregulation of adipogenesis-related genes (2D, 3D Buta to BIM-A), (2) larger and slightly stiffer 3D spheroids, and (3) upregulation of Col1 and Fn (2D). These collective findings indicate that the switching orders of BIM-A and EP2 agonists have a significant effect on lipid metabolism, ECM expression, and the physical stiffness of 3T3-L1 cells.