• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.168-178
• /
• 2014

Objectives : Mahuang-Chuanwu(Mahwang-Cheonoh) Pharmacopuncture(MCP) has been used to treat obesity in Clinical Korean Medicine. MCP solution(MCPS) is also expected to have strong anti-obesity activities. However, little is known about the mechanisms of its inhibitory effects on adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis. Methods : In the present study, we examined the effects of MCPS on differentiation and lipogenesis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. To elucidate the mechanism of the effects of MCPS on lowering lipid content in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, we examined whether MCPS modulates the expressions of transcription factors to induce lipogenesis and adipogenic genes related to regulate the accumulation of lipids. Results : Our results showed that MCPS significantly inhibited differentiation and lipogenesis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. MCPS suppressed the mRNA expressions of cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine(CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$($C/EBP{\alpha}$), C/EBP ${\beta}$, $C/EBP{\delta}$, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$($PPAR{\gamma}$) genes related to the induction of adipose differentiation. MCPS inhibited the mRNA expressions of adipose-specific aP2, adipsin, lipoprotein lipase(LPL), CD36, TGF-${\beta}$, and leptin genes related to the fat formation. MCPS downregulated the mRNA expressions of liver X receptor(LXR) ${\alpha}$ and fatty acid synthase(FAS) genes related to the induction of lipogenesis. In addition, MCPS reduced the production of adipocyte-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines. Conclusions : MCPS could regulate the accumulation of lipids and expression of adipogenic genes via inhibition of transcript factors related to induction of adipose differentiation.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.331-342
• /
• 2022

Obesity is one of the metabolic diseases caused by excessive differentiation and accumulation of adipose tissue due to an imbalance between energy intake and consumption. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effect of SliMax, a natural-derived 6 compounds mixture, by using 3T3-L1 cells. As a result, SliMax showed the inhibitory effect on adipocyte differentiation through down-regulation of the PPARγ and C/EBPα expression, which are known to regulate the late adipogenesis stage. In the process of lipolysis on differentiated 3T3-L1 cells, SliMax accelerated decomposition of large-sized unilocular lipid droplet into numerous small-sized multilocular lipid droplets through up-regulation of the expression of lipolysis-related proteins ATGL and HSL. Finally, in order to confirm the effect of SliMax on induction of brown adipocyte, the expression of UCP-1 and the amount of mitochondria were confirmed by immunofluorescent staining, and as a result, SliMax increased the expression of UCP-1 and the amount of mitochondria in fat cells. Taken together, those results suggest that SliMax, a naturally-derived mixture, have a potential to be anti-obesity agent through exerting inhibitory effect on the formation of lipid droplet by suppression of adipogenesis and stimulation of lipolysis, and browning effect associated with generation of heat energy and energy consumption.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.64 no.3
• /
• pp.269-275
• /
• 2021

The in vitro anti-obesity activity of 12 species of tree sprouts in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells and the mechanisms underlying their activity were evaluated. (+)-Catechin and quercetin concentrations in the sprouts were analyzed by HPLC/UV at 270 and 254 nm, respectively. Euonymus alatus (EAT) and Fraxinus mandschuria (FMS) extracts at doses of 50 and 100 ㎍/mL inhibited the accumulation of lipid droplets in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Moreover, EAT and FMS downregulated the expression of the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α, adipogenesis-related proteins peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, and adipocyte P-2α in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Tree sprouts with an abundant flavonoid content exerted the highest anti-obesity activity. Concentrations of total flavonoids were the highest in FMS (24.281 mg/g DW) sprouts. These findings could be used to develop health-promoting functional foods or supplements derived from tree sprouts.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.89-97
• /
• 2016

Obesity is caused by excess accumulation of body fat and contributes to various pathological disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In this study, we investigated the effect of a 30% ethanol extract of Fructus Rosae laevigata (RLE) on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, measured by triglyceride accumulation and expression of adipogenesis-related transcription factors during differentiation of pre-adipocytes into adipocytes. RLE decreased the intracellular triglyceride contents (assessed by Oil Red-O staining) in a dose-dependent manner. It also downregulated the expression of adipogenic transcription factors and inhibited cell proliferation during the mitotic clonal expansion phase of adipocyte differentiation by inducing G1 phase arrest. We investigated the alterations in the levels of G1 phase arrest-related proteins. The expression of p21 protein significantly increased, while the levels of Cyclin E, Cdk2, and phospho-Rb decreased in a dose-dependent manner in 3T3-L1 cells treated with RLE. These results suggest that RLE inhibits the differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes by suppressing the expression of adipogenic transcription factors and inducing G1 phase arrest in the early stages of adipocyte differentiation.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.47-55
• /
• 2017

Objectives : Obesity is caused by the excess accumulation of fat in the body due to energy imbalance, and it causes various diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate an anti-obesity efficacy and an antioxidant activity of water from herbal mixture extract (SM17). Methods : The antioxidant activities were evaluated through radical scavenging assays using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radicals. To evaluated anti-obesity effect of SM17, we used a high fat diet fed mouse model. The SM17 (150 mg/kg body weight/day, p.o.) was treated every day for 6 weeks to C57BL/6 mice. Body weight and food intake were measured every day. The changes of reactive oxygen species (ROS), alanine aminotransferanse (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglycerids (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) in serum were analyzed after experiment. Also, expression of lipid metabolism related proteins were investigated by western blot analysis. Results : It was effective in antioxidant measurements, SM17 administration inhibited the biomarkers of lipid metaboism in serum and tissues. The administration of SM17 showed a significant reduction of body and tissue weight. Morever, it decreased ROS, ALT, AST, TG and TC in serum, compared with those of the obese mice. Adipogenesis-related protein expressions increased in obese mice compared to normal mice. However, SM17 group exhibited the down-expression of these proteins. Conclusion : A SM17 aqueous extract has a great effect on the stimulation (AMPK) activation, and may have a benefit to reduce a fatty acid metabolism through inhibition of lipid accumulation.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.54 no.4
• /
• pp.342-354
• /
• 2021

Purpose: Obesity is a serious public health issue for the modern society and is considered a chronic health hazard. There are many surgical and pharmacological approaches to treat obesity. However, various potentially hazardous side effects remain the biggest challenge. Therefore, diets based on foods derived from natural products have gained increasing attention compared to anti-obesity drugs. Recently, research on edible insects as a food source has been a topic of considerable interest in the scientific communities. This study examined the anti-obesity effects of ingesting an edible insect by feeding a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse models with a diet containing Tenebrio molitor larvae powder (TMLP). Methods: Six-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were divided into 4 groups according to treatment: 100% normal diet (ND), 100% HFD (HFD), HFD 99% + TMLP 1% (TMLP), and HFD 97% + TMLP 3% (TMLP 3%). TMLP was added to the HFD for 6 weeks for the latter two groups. Results: Compared to the HFD group, mice in the TMLP group showed weight loss, and micro-computed tomographic imaging revealed that the volume of the adipose tissue in the abdominal area also showed significant reduction. After an autopsy, the fat weight was found to be significantly reduced in the TMLP group compared to the HFD group. In addition, the degree of fat cell deposition in the liver tissue and the size of the adipocytes significantly decreased in the TMLP group. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis for the mRNA expression of adipogenesis-related genes namely CCAAT-enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBP-β, C/EBP-δ), and fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) showed that the expression levels of these genes were significantly reduced in the TMLP group compared to the HFD group. Serum leptin level also decreased significantly in the TMLP group in the comparison with the HFD group. In addition, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels in mouse serum also decreased in the TMLP group. Conclusion: Taken together, our results showed that TMLP effectively inhibited adipocyte growth and reduced body weight in obese mice.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.419-427
• /
• 2016

There is a high association of heat shock on the alteration of energy and lipid metabolism. The alterations associated with thermal stress are composed of gene expression changes and adaptation through biochemical responses. Previous study showed that Angelica gigas Nakai (AGN) root extract promoted adipogenic differentiation in murine 3T3-L1 preadipocytes under the normal temperature condition. However, its effect in heat shocked 3T3-L1 cells has not been established. In this study, we investigated the effect of AGN root hot water extract in the adipogenic differentiation of murine 3T3-L1 preadipocytes following heat shock and its possible mechanism of action. Thermal stress procedure was executed within the same stage of preadipocyte confluence (G0) through incubation at $42^{\circ}C$ for one hour and then allowed to recover at normal incubation temperature of $37^{\circ}C$ for another hour before AGN treatment for both cell viability assay and Oil Red O. Cell viability assay showed that AGN was able to dose dependently (0 to $400{\mu}g/mL$) increase cell proliferation under normal incubation temperature and also was able to prevent cytotoxicity due to heat shock accompanied by cell proliferation. Confluent preadipocytes were subjected into heat shock procedure, recovery and then AGN treatment prior to stimulation with the differentiation solution. Heat shocked preadipocytes exhibited reduced differentiation as supported by decreased amount of lipid accumulation in Oil Red O staining and triglyceride measurement. However, those heat shocked preadipocytes that then were given AGN extract showed a dose dependent increase in lipid accumulation as shown by both evaluation procedures. In line with these results, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis showed that AGN increased adipogenic differentiation by upregulating heat shock protection related genes and proteins together with the adipogenic markers. These findings imply the potential of AGN in heat shock amelioration among 3T3-L1 preadipocytes through heat shock factor and proteins augmentation and enhanced adipogenic marker expression.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.107-113
• /
• 2014

The present study was designed to investigate the antihyperlipidemic effect of Coconopsis lanceolata extract in C57BL/6J mice. The mice were divided into four groups: normal diet group (ND), high fat diet group (HFD), positive control group with 0.05% metformin (PC), Coconopsis lanceolata extract group (UCL). After 5 weeks of feeding, average body weight of the UCL group mice was slightly decreased, while that of the HFD group significantly increased) Also, liver and adipose tissue weights in the UCL group significantly increased. The levels of trigliceride (TG) and total in the plasma of UCL-supplemented group were significantly lower than those of high fat diet group. On the other hand, HDL-cholesterol level was increased. Expression level of proteins related with adipogenesis such as SREBP-1c, ACC, and FAS in the liver of the UCL group mice was much lower comparing with the HFD group mice. In conclusion, the results showed that the Coconopsis lanceolata extract possesses significant antihyperlipidemic effects in C57BL/6J mice.