• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.200-206
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• 2020

The ability of the total extract from Physalis angulata; three fractions after partitioning with n-hexane, ethyl acetate (TBE), and water; and four withanolides (compounds 1 - 4) to phosphorylate 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in HepG2 cells was evaluated. The TBE fraction (50 ㎍/mL) activated p-ACC and p-AMPK expression most strongly. Compounds 1 - 4 (10 μM) upregulated p-ACC expression at different levels. Compound 4 induced the most significant changes in p-AMPK expression, followed by 1 and 2. Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) play a functional role in the transcriptional regulation of the lipogenic pathway, including fatty acid synthase (FAS) and ACC. The effects of compounds 2 and 4 (10 μM) on FAS and SREBP-1c expression under high glucose conditions (30 mM) in HepG2 cells were evaluated further. Both dose-dependently inhibited FAS and SREBP-1c expression as well as lipid accumulation (1 - 10 μM) were compared to high-concentration glucose control, which upregulated FAS and SREBP-1c. These results suggest that compounds 2 and 4 upregulate AMPK, suppress FAS and SREBP-1c, and have potential effects on glucose and lipid metabolism.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.325-332
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• 2016

Resveratrol, a phytoalexin, is reported to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in vascular cells. The blood-brain barrier (BBB), formed by specialized brain endothelial cells that are interconnected by tight junctions, strictly regulates paracellular permeability to maintain an optimal extracellular environment for brain homeostasis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of resveratrol and the role of AMPK in BBB dysfunction induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Exposure of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) to LPS ($1{\mu}g/ml$) for 4 to 24 hours week dramatically increased the permeability of the BBB in parallel with lowered expression levels of occluding and claudin-5, which are essential to maintain tight junctions in HBMECs. In addition, LPS significantly increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) productions. All effects induced by LPS in HBVMCs were reversed by adenoviral overexpression of superoxide dismutase, inhibition of NAD(P) H oxidase by apocynin or gain-function of AMPK by adenoviral overexpression of constitutively active mutant (AMPK-CA) or by resveratrol. Finally, upregulation of AMPK by either AMPK-CA or resveratrol abolished the levels of LPS-enhanced NAD(P)H oxidase subunits protein expressions. We conclude that AMPK activation by resveratrol improves the integrity of the BBB disrupted by LPS through suppressing the induction of NAD(P)H oxidase-derived ROS in HBMECs.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.578-585
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• 2013

In this study, we evaluated the antidiabetic effect of a chloroform fraction of a methanol extract of Vigna nakashimae (designated VN) and compared it with that of a water fraction. Both fractions were administrated to eight-week old db/db mice for two weeks, after which the plasma glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels were measured. The chloroform fraction (VN-C) lowered the fasting glucose and blood glycated hemoglobin in the db/db mice more effectively than those of the water fraction (VN-W). VN-C also improved the glucose tolerance and led to a significant decrease in the plasma levels of free fatty acids and triglycerides. VN-C enhanced the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and increased the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) in HepG2 and C2C12 cells more significantly than VN-W. Consistent with AMPK activation, VN-C inhibited cAMP/Dex-stimulated expression of gluconeogenic genes and increased glucose uptake in C2C12. Collectively, these results suggest that VN-C has an antidiabetic effect, which is exerted via AMPK activation, and that this effect is stronger than that of VN-W.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.1035-1041
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• 2017

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a major catechin found in green tea. It is reported that EGCG possesses various health benefits including anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-diabetes, and anti-obesity. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of EGCG on adipogenesis via activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. In order to determine the effects of EGCG on adipogenesis, preadipocyte differentiation was induced in the presence or absence of EGCG ($0{\sim}100{\mu}M$) for a period of 6 days. EGCG significantly inhibited fat accumulation and suppressed the expression of adipogenic specific proteins including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-${\gamma}$. Also, EGCG markedly increased the activation of AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, any pretreatment with a specific AMPK inhibitor, compound C, abolished the inhibitory effects of the EGCG on $PPAR{\gamma}$ expression. This study suggests that EGCG has anti-adipogenic effects through modulation of the AMPK signaling pathway and therefore, may be a promising antiobesity agent.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.341-344
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• 2007

Obesity is a major obstacle for human health, which induces various diseases such as cardiac injury and type 2 diabetes. Ginsenosides, active components of ginseng extract, exert various physiological effects. However, There are still no evidence for their anti obesity effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of ginsenoside Rd on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. Our data show that ginsenoside Rd (80 uM) was effective in adipocyte differentiation inhibition. These inhibitory effects of ginsenosides on adipocyte differentiation were accompanied by PPAR gamma inhibition in rosiglitazone-treated cells. We also tested whether AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation was involved in the effects of these ginsenosides. AMPK is a master target for obesity, ginsenoside Rd significantly activated AMPK. Taken together, these results suggest that the anti obesity effects of ginsenoside Rd involve the AMPK signaling pathway and PPAR-gamma inhibition.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.251-256
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• 2011

EGCG, catechins in green tea, is a kind of phytochemical. Through the regulation of signal pathways, EGCG has been known to show anti-oxidant and anti-tumor effects in cells. In this study, we investigated the apoptotic effects of EGCG through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signal pathways, including hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-$1{\alpha}$). The experiments were performed in B16F10 melanoma cells in a hypoxic state. AMPK is activated by ATP consumption such as nutrient deficiency, exercise, heat shock, etc. The activated AMPK that plays an important role as an energy sensor inhibits proliferation of cancer cells, as well as inducing apoptosis. HIF-$1{\alpha}$, the primary transcriptional regulator of the response to oxygen deprivation, plays a critical role in modulating tumor growth and angiogenesis in a hypoxic state. The apoptotic effects of EGCG were studied in B16F10 cells in a hypoxic state. The results show that EGCG inhibits the transcriptional activity of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and induces apoptosis. These observations suggest that EGCG may exert inhibitory effects of angiogenesis and control tumor cell growth in hypoxic melanoma cells.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 2016

Objectives: The all anti-obesity drugs currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration work by reducing energy intake. In fact, no approved drug targets energy expenditure. In Korean medicine, it is known to Qi or Yang invigorating therapy could increase energy metabolism. Aconitum carmichaeli Debx (ACD) is a Yang invigorating herb, often used for treat obesity in Korean medicine. In the present study, the authors investigated the regulatory effects of ACD in energy metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Methods: The water extract of ACD (0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/ml) were treated in differentiated C2C12 cells. The protein or mRNA levels of target genes were analyzed and mitochondrial mass were investigated. Results: ACD activated the expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha ($PGC-1{\alpha}$), nuclear respiratory factor 1 and TFAM and increased mitochondrial mass. ACD also increased adenosin monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Conclusions: This study suggests that ACD has the potential to increase energy metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis by activating AMPK and $PGC1{\alpha}$.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2012

Alcoholic hepatitis is a leading cause of liver failure in which the increased production of tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ (TNF${\alpha}$) plays a critical role in progression of alcoholic liver disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of cilostazol, a selective inhibitor of type III phosphodiesterase on ethanol-mediated TNF${\alpha}$ production in vitro and $in$ $vivo$, and the effect of cilostazol was compared with that of pentoxifylline, which is currently used in clinical trial. RAW264.7 murine macrophages were pretreated with ethanol in the presence or absence of cilostazol then, stimulated with lipopolysacchride (LPS). Cilostazol significantly suppressed the level of LPS-stimulated TNF${\alpha}$ mRNA and protein with a similar degree to that by pentoxifylline. Cilostazol increased the basal AMP- activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity as well as normalized the decreased AMPK by LPS. AICAR, an AMPK activator and db-cAMP also significantly decreased TNF${\alpha}$ production in RAW264.7 cells, but cilostazol did not affect the levels of intracellular cAMP and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The $in$ $vivo$ effect of cilostazol was examined using ethanol binge drinking (6 g/kg) mice model. TNF${\alpha}$ mRNA and protein decreased in liver from ethanol gavaged mice compared to that from control mice. Pretreatment of mice with cilostazol or pentoxifylline further reduced the TNF${\alpha}$ production in liver. These results demonstrated that cilostazol effectively decrease the ethanol-mediated TNF${\alpha}$ production both in murine macrophage and in liver from binge drinking mice and AMPK may be responsible for the inhibition of TNF${\alpha}$ production by cilostazol.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.109-121
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• 2020

Objectives: Tanshinone I is a bioactive constituent in Salvia miltiorrhiza. At present, the anti-obesity effect and mechanism of tanshinone I are not fully understood. Here we investigated the effect of tanshinone I on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and zebrafish. Methods: Lipid accumulation and triglyceride (TG) content in 3T3-L1 cells were determined by Oil Red O staining and AdipoRed assay, respectively. The expression and phosphorylation levels of adipogenic/lipogenic proteins in 3T3-L1 cells were evaluated by Western blotting. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of adipogenic/lipogenic markers and leptin in 3T3-L1 cells were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Lipid accumulation in zebrafish was assessed by LipidGreen2 staining. Results: Tanshinone I at 5 μM largely blocked lipid accumulation and reduced TG content in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. Furthermore, tanshinone I decreased the expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (C/EBP-α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), and perilipin A but also the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT-3) in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. In addition, tanshinone I increased the phosphorylation of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) while decreased the intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content with no change in the phosphorylation and expression of liver kinase-B1 in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. Importantly, tanshinone I also reduced the extent of lipid deposit formation in developing zebrafish. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that tanshinone I has strong anti-adipogenic effects on 3T3-L1 cells and reduces adiposity in zebrafish, and these anti-adipogenic effect in 3T3-L1 cells are mediated through control of C/EBP-α, PPAR-γ, STAT-3, FAS, ACC, perilipin A, and AMPK.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.283-289
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• 2011

Our previous study demonstrated that the Korean traditional medicine Gyeongshingangjeehwan (GGEx) activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\alpha}$ ($PPAR{\alpha}$) critical for fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle and C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Thus, we examined whether GGEx can reduce lipid accumulation in these cells and tissues. After obese and type 2 diabetic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats were treated with GGEx, we studied the effects of GGEx on skeletal muscle lipid accumulation. The effects of GGEx and/or the AMPK inhibitor compound C on lipid accumulation and expression of AMPK and $PPAR{\alpha}$ were measured in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Compared with lean Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka rats, obese OLETF rats had increased triglyceride droplets. However, administration of GGEx to OLETF rats for 8 weeks significantly decreased triglyceride droplets in skeletal muscle. Consistent with the $in$ $vivo$ data, GGEx inhibited lipid accumulation, the degree of which was comparable to Wy14,643, the potent activator of $PPAR{\alpha}$. GGEx also increased skeletal muscle mRNA levels of AMPK${\alpha}1$, AMPK${\alpha}2$, and $PPAR{\alpha}$. However, compound C inhibited these effects in C2C12 cells. These results suggest that GGEx suppresses skeletal muscle lipid accumulation and this process may be mediated by AMPK and $PPAR{\alpha}$ activation.