For the loss-of-function experiments, after adipogenic treatment, downregulating Ndrg1 in primary BMSCs blunted adipogenic differentiation, which was evidenced by the attenuated oil-red O staining (33% decrease of oil-red O retention in the cells) (Fig. 3E, F) and the decreased mRNA and protein levels of the adipogenic factors as compared to the infection of the control virus (mRNAs decreased by 37–75% and proteins decreased by 36–61%) (Fig. 3G, H). Here, NDRG1 is linked to infection.