• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2023.04a
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• pp.55-55
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• 2023

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there is increasing interest in anti-obesity strategies. According to the National Statistical Office, the obesity rate in Korea was 38.3% in 2020 and 37.1% in 2021. Obesity is a risk factor for several severe diseases, including stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Pinus rigida × Pinus taeda is a hybrid of Pinus rigida Mill and Pinus taeda Linn, and its cones are considered a by-product. Although previous studies have investigated their pharmacological effects on antioxidant activity and protection against oxidative DNA damage, few researchers have explored their potential as functional natural materials. Therefore, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of the cone of ethyl acetate fraction of P. rigida × P. taeda (ERT), specifically its ability to inhibit lipid accumulation. Our analysis showed that ERT contains phytochemicals (catechin and caffeic acid) which are known to improve immune function and inhibit cell damage. ERT inhibited lipid droplet accumulation at the cellular levels through Oil Red O staining. Furthermore, ERT suppressed the expression of adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ and CEBP/α) as well as downstream lipogenic target genes (FAS and SREBP-1) thereby inhibiting adipogenesis. ERT also down-regulated key adipogenic markers, including aP2α, while inducing the phosphorylation of AMPK. It has been reported that PPARγ and CEBP/α are expressed in the early stages of adipose differentiation, while SREBP-1 is expressed in the late stage. Therefore, our findings suggest that ERT activates AMPK signaling pathways, which inhibits adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP1) and lipogenic genes (FAS and aP2α), thereby blocking lipid accumulation and preventing obesity and related disorders. ERT showed potential as a new resource for developing a functional material for anti-obesity agents.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.47-53
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• 2008

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Ganoderma lucidum herba pharmacopuncture(GHP) on the adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Methods: 3T3- L1 preadipocytes were differentiated with adipogenic reagents by incubating for 2 days in the absence or presence of GHP ranging from 1 and 2%. The effect of GHP on cell proliferation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was investigated using MTT assay. The effect of GHP on adipogenesis was examined by Oil red O staining and measuring glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) and intracellular triglyceride (TG) content. Results: Following results were obtained from the preadipocyte proliferation and adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1. We observed no effect of GHP on preadipocyte proliferation. GHP inhibited adipogenesis, the activity of GPDH and accumulation of intracellular TG content. Conclusions: These results suggest that GHP inhibit differentiation of preadipocyte.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.286-293
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• 2012

Resveratrol (3,4,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a phytoalexin found in grape skin, grape products, and peanuts as well as red wine, has been reported to have various biological and pharmacological properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effect of resveratrol-amplified grape skin extracts on adipocytes. The anti-obesity effects of grape skin extracts were investigated by measuring proliferation and differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. The effect of grape skin ethanol extracts on cell proliferation was detected by the MTS assay. The morphological changes and degree of adipogenesis of preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells were measured by Oil Red-O staining assay. Treatment with extracts of resveratrol-amplified grape skin decreased lipid accumulation and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity without affecting 3T3-L1 cell viability. Grape skin extract treatment resulted in significantly attenuated expression of key adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins, and their target genes (FAS, aP2, SCD-1, and LPL). These results indicate that resveratrol-amplified grape skin extracts may be useful for preventing obesity by regulating lipid metabolism.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.136-141
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the action mechanism of the roots of Adenophora triphylla var. japonica extract (ATE) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Cell toxicity test by MTT assay and lipid accumulation was performed to evaluate the inhibitory effect on the differentiation of adipocyte from preadipocytes induced by MDI differentiation medium, while adipogenesis related proteins expression level were evaluated by western blotting. As a result, ATE inhibited MDI-induced adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells dose-dependently without cytotoxicity. Our results showed that ATE inhibited the phosphorylation of IRS1, thereby decreasing the expression of PI3K110α and reducing the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR, resulting in attenuated protein expression of C/EBPα, PPARγ, ap2 and FAS in 3T3-L1 cells. These results suggest anti-adipogenic functions for ATE, and identified IRS1 as a novel target for ATE in adipogenesis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2020

Fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene helps to regulate energy homeostasis in mammals by controlling energy expenditure. In addition, FTO functions in the regulation of obesity and adipogenic differentiation; however, a role in osteogenic differentiation is unknown. This study investigated the effects of FTO on osteogenic differentiation of C3H10T1/2 cells and the underlying mechanism. Expression of osteogenic and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers were characterized by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining was performed to assess ALP activity. BMP2 treatment increased mRNA expression of osteogenic genes and FTO. Overexpression of FTO increased expression of the osteogenic genes distal-less homeobox5 (Dlx5) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2). Activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) increased FTO expression, and there was a positive feedback loop between FTO and p-AMPK. p-AMPK and FTO induced mild ER stress; however, tunicamycin-induced severe ER stress suppressed FTO expression and AMPK activation. In summary, FTO induces osteogenic differentiation of C3H10T1/2 cells upon BMP2 treatment by inducing mild ER stress via a positive feedback loop with p-AMPK. FTO expression and AMPK activation induce mild ER stress. By contrast, severe ER stress inhibits osteogenic differentiation by suppressing FTO expression and AMPK activation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.645-650
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• 2019

Brown adipocytes have an important role in the regulation of energy balance through uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1)-mediated nonshivering thermogenesis. Although brown adipocytes have been highlighted as a new therapeutic target for the treatment of metabolic diseases, such as obesity and type II diabetes in adult humans, the molecular mechanism underlying brown adipogenesis is not fully understood. We recently found that protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type B (PTPRB) expression dramatically decreased during brown adipogenic differentiation. In this study, we investigated the functional roles of PTPRB and its regulatory mechanism during brown adipocyte differentiation. Ectopic expression of PTPRB led to a reduced brown adipocyte differentiation by suppressing the tyrosine phosphorylation of VEGFR2, whereas a catalytic inactive PTPRB mutant showed no effects on differentiation and phosphorylation. Consistently, the expression of brown adipocyte-related genes, such as UCP-1, $PGC-1{\alpha}$, PRDM16, $PPAR-{\gamma}$, and CIDEA, were significantly inhibited by PTPRB overexpression. Overall, these results suggest that PTPRB functions as a negative regulator of brown adipocyte differentiation through its phosphatase activity-dependent mechanism and may be used as a target protein for the regulation of obesity and type II diabetes.

• Journal of Food and Nutrition Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.163-169
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• 2021

Decreased adipocyte fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and impaired preadipocyte differentiation characterize hypertrophic expansion of adipose tissue (AT) from obese and insulin resistant humans and are recognized as potential mechanisms for obesity-mediated dyslipidemia. Supplementation of formononetin (FMN), one of the principal isoflavones extracted from red clover or Huangqi (Astragalus roots), has been shown to have beneficial effects on obesity-related hyperlipidemia, a well-established cardiovascular risk factor. However, a target tissue and underlying mechanism(s) through which FMN acts have been under-investigated. Thus, we investigated whether FMN promotes adipocyte FAO and preadipocyte differentiation using 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to provide potential mechanisms of FMN action. We further extended this to the culture of 10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as well as mouse AT explants to reflect in vivo effects of FMN. In fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, FMN-treatment significantly increased the expression levels of FAO-related proteins such as pAMPK, pACC, and CPT1, all of which were consistently upregulated in AT explant cultures treated with 10 μM FMN. In addition, FMN significantly enhanced the degree of differentiation of both 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and 10T1/2 MSCs into adipocytes as evidenced by Oil Red O staining of cellular lipids. This observation correlated with increased expression levels of key adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ and C/EBPα) and their down-stream target proteins (FABP4, Glut4 and adiponectin). Moreover, FMN failed to exert its stimulatory effects on preadipocyte differentiation in both cell types in the presence of a PPARγ antagonist, suggesting a PPARγ-dependent effect of FMN. Collectively, these data provide possible mechanisms of action of FMN on lipid metabolism and further support the favorable in vivo effects of FMN in diet and obesity-induced dyslipidemia.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2006

In order to improve the antiobesity effect of Kochujang, 1% of sea tangle powder, alginic acid extract, and fucoidan extract were added to Kochujang. Sea tangle powder-added Kochujang decreased leptin secretion by only 12% compared to Kochujang, whereas alginic acid or fucoidan-added Kochujang significantly decreased leptin secretion by more than 60% in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Fucoidan, one of the active components of sea tangle, decreased leptin secretion by 56%, 60%, and 60% compared to the control in the concentrations of $1{\mu}M,\;2.5{\mu}M,\;and\;5{\mu}M$, respectively. To see the effect of fucoidan on TG formation during adipocyte differentiation, 3T3-L1 cells were treated with $1{\mu}M\;and\;5{\mu}M$ concentrations of fucoidan during adipocyte differentiation (from 'day 0' to 'day 6'). Oil red O staining showed fucoidan decreased the amount of TG droplets and $5{\mu}M$ fucoidan potently inhibited TG formation. To see the effect of fucoidan on lipolysis, differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with fucoidan. The secretion of glycerol, which is used to measure lipolytic activity, was increased by 21%, 37%, and 53% compared to the control in the concentrations of $1{\mu}M,\;2.5{\mu}M,\;and\;5{\mu}M$, respectively. Oil red O staining showed fucoidan decreased TG amount at $1{\mu}M\;and\;5{\mu}M$ concentrations. These results suggest that fucoidan decreases leptin secretion and TG accumulation by inhibition of adipocyte differentiation and induction of lipolysis. Since fucoidan is reported to have various biological activities in addition to an anti-adipogenic effect, it seems valuable to develop fucoidan-added Kochujang as a multi-functional Kochujang.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1088-1097
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• 2018

Objective: It is commonly accepted that adiponectin binds to its two receptors to regulate fatty acid metabolism in adipocytes. To better understand their functions in the regulation of intramuscular adipogenesis in goats, we cloned the three genes (adiponectin [AdipoQ], adiponectin receptor 1 [AdipoR1], and AdipoR2) encoding these proteins and detected their mRNA distribution in different tissues. We also determined the role of AdipoQ in the adipogenic differentiation of goat skeletal muscle satellite cells (SMSCs). Methods: SMSCs were isolated using 1 mg/mL Pronase E from the longissimus dorsi muscles of 3-day-old female Nanjiang brown goats. Adipogenic differentiation was induced in satellite cells by transferring the cells to Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with an isobutylmethylxanthine, dexamethasone and insulin cocktail. The pEGFP-N1-AD plasmid was transfected into SMSCs using Lipofectamine 2000. Expression of adiponectin in tissues and SMSCs was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemical staining. Results: The three genes were predominantly expressed in adipose and skeletal muscle tissues. According to fluorescence and immunocytochemical analyses, adiponectin protein expression was only observed in the cytoplasm, suggesting that adiponectin is localized to the cytoplasm of goat SMSCs. In SMSCs overexpressing the AdipoQ gene, adiponectin promoted SMSC differentiation into adipocytes and significantly (p<0.05) up-regulated expression of AdipoR2, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty-acid synthase, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1, though expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding $protein-{\alpha}$, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$, and AdipoR1 did not change significantly. Conclusion: Adiponectin induced SMSC differentiation into adipocytes, indicating that adiponectin may promote intramuscular adipogenesis in goat SMSC.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.523-528
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• 2017

This study investigate the effects of extracts of five species of Korean native forest plants on lipid accumulation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. Our results show that Korean native forest plants extracts significantly reduced lipid accumulation and ROS production during adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. Especially, Rubus coreanus Miq. was most effective in the inhibition of lipid accumulation and ROS production at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/mL$. Moreover, Rubus coreanus Miq. extracts significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation, which is dependent on down-regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha, and adipocyte-specific fatty acid binding protein, a key adipogenic transcription factor. Therefore, these results suggest that Rubus coreanus Miq. might be a valuable source of bioactive compounds with anti-adipogenic activity.