Effect on Wnt/β-catenin Pathway of Methanol Extracts from Native Plants in Korea

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is mandatory in adipogenesis. In this study, we investigated the applicability of functional materials for the treatment of obesity by examining Wnt/β-catenin pathway reporter activity related to adipocyte differentiation inhibiting with korean native plant extracts. The luciferase activity of HEK 293-TOP cells increased the reporter activity approximately 152% and 130% by treatment with Sanguisorba officinalis and Thuja orientalis, respectively. Ricinus communis were represented about 90% higher activity, two samples(Rosa rugosa and Sophorae Flos) showed 80% higher activity than the control. Three samples of plant extracts (Zanthoxylum piperitum, Pueraria thunbergiana, Solanum nigrum) were about 70% higher activity compared with the non-treated control. Cytotoxicity of plant extracts was not detected in the rat neural stem cells. These results suggest that the selected eight plant extracts are safe compounds. Our findings indicate that Wnt/β-catenin pathway reporter activity could be used for high throughput screening system. In addition, the plant extracts selected as candidates for adipocyte differentiation inhibiting may be potential therapeutic agents for obesity, it will be exploring the possibility of developing an anti-obesity materials through further experiments with selected plant extracts.

국내자생식물 메탄올추출물의 Wnt/β-catenin 신호전달체계에 대한 효과

본 연구에서 국내 자생식물 추출물중 비만관련 특허가 없는 식물원료를 대상으로 지방세포의 분화억제 효과를 Wnt/β-catenin 신호전달계 활성측정방법으로 탐색하여 비만치료를 위한 기능성소재 응용가능성을 검토하였다. HEK 293-TOP세포의 luciferase 리포터 상대적인 활성은 무 처리 대조군에 비하여 지유(전초), 측백나무(줄기)가 각각 152%, 130%로 높은 활성을 나타내었으며, 피마자(전초)는 약 90%대의 활성을, 해당화(줄기), 괴화(전초)의 경우는 약 80%, 초피나무(줄기), 칡(줄기), 까마중(전초)은 약 70%대의 높은 활성을 나타내었다. 또한, 신경줄기 세포에 대한 어떠한 독성도 보이지 않음으로써 안전한 물질인 것으로 사료되었다. 이 결과는 Wnt/β-catenin 신호전달 활성 측정방법이 향후 High throughput screening 기반기술로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 판단되며, 지방세포 분화 억제활성 후보로 선별된 식물추출물들에 대한 추가적인 실험을 통하여 항비만 소재 개발 응용 가능성을 타진할 것이다.