• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.356-363
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• 2013

Clinical and preclinical trials of involving drugs with anti-obesity effects have focused on screening for herbal medicines suspected to have anti-obesity activities. In this study, an extract of Aster scaver Thunb., which was prepared in 80% methanol (ASE), was assessed for its total phenol content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity ability to scavenge the ${\alpha}-{\alpha}$-diphenyl-${\beta}$-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline]-6-sulfonic acid radical, and anti-adipogenic effects. The anti-adipogenic effect of ASE on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes to adipocytes was investigated by assaying the suppression of adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation by using western blot analysis and the Oil Red-O assay, respectively. The staining results showed that ASE significantly inhibited 3T3-L1. Western blot analysis results showed that ASE decreased the levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-${\gamma}$, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c. These results demonstrate that ASE directly inhibits the differentiation of preadipocytes, and might be an important adjunct in the therapeutic efforts to reduce adipogenesis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.651-663
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• 2016

Corn silk, Job's tears, Lentinus edodes, and apple peel 70% ethanol extracts (CS, JT, LE, and AP) were studied for their antioxidant activities. CS among all extracts showed the highest antioxidant activities based on total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, 2,2-diphenyl-${\beta}$-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical scavenging activity, and reducing power. Adipocyte differentiation was investigated by Oil Red O staining assay using CS, JT, LE, AP, and extract of developed bread containing corn silk, Job's tears, Lentinus edodes, and apple peel (DB) treated to 3T3-L1 adipocytes. DB1 and DB2 showed anti-adipogenic and antioxidant effects. Triglyceride (TG) accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells was measured, and among the samples tested (CS, JT, LE, and AP), CS was found to have the highest inhibitory activity against TG accumulation of differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes and regulated factors associated with adipogenesis. CS suppressed lipid droplet formation and adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. We examined the effects of CS on the levels of CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein ${\beta}(C/EBP{\beta})$, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor ${\gamma}(PPAR{\gamma})$, and adipocyte-specific lipid binding protein (aP2) mRNA as well as protein levels in 3T3-L1 cells treated with CS at various concentrations (0, 10, 50, and $100{\mu}g/mL$) during adipocyte differentiation and treatment with CS in 3T3-L1 adipocytes down-regulated expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and aP2 mRNA. CS also significantly inhibited up-regulation of $C/EBP{\beta}$, $PPAR{\gamma}$, and aP2 proteins during adipocyte differentiation. These data indicate that DBs have anti-adipogenic activity induced by CS in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, and CS exerts anti-adipogenic activity by inhibiting expression of $C/EBP{\beta}$, $PPAR{\gamma}$, and aP2 signaling pathway in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. JT, LE, and AP had no inhibitory effects on differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes but displayed strong antioxidant effects. These results suggest that the developed bread may be a health beneficial food that can prevent or treat obesity and diseases induced by oxidative stress.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.927-931
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of defatted grape seed extract (DGSE) on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. DGSE at 100 ${\mu}g$/mL significantly suppressed lipid accumulation and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in hormonally stimulated adipocytes, an indicator of adipocyte differentiation. In order to understand the anti-adipogenic effects of DGSE, the changes in the expression of several adipogenic transcription factors including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) $\gamma$, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) $\alpha$ and $\beta$ were investigated using immunoblotting. DGSE suppressed the expression of PPAR$\gamma$, C/EBP$\alpha$, and C/EBP$\beta$ proteins compared with control adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. This results indicated that DGSE may alter fat mass by directly affecting adipogensis in maturing preadipocytes and thus may have applications for the treatment of obesity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1301-1309
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• 2011

The major function of adipocytes is to store fat in the form of triglycerides. One of the signaling pathways known to affect adipogenesis, i.e. fat formation, is the WNT/${\beta}$-catenin pathway which inhibits the expression and activity of key regulators of adipogenesis. The purpose of this research is to find genes among the WNT/${\beta}$-catenin pathway which regulate adipogenesis by using small interfering (si) RNA and to find the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the gene with serum triglyceride levels in the human population. To elucidate the effects of ${\beta}$-catenin siRNA on adipogenesis key factors, PPAR${\gamma}$ and C/EBP${\alpha}$, we performed real-time PCR and western blotting experiments for the analyses of mRNA and protein levels. It was found that the siRNA-mediated knockdown of ${\beta}$-catenin upregulates adipogenesis key factors. However, upstream regulators of the WNT/${\beta}$-catenin pathway, such as DVL2 and LRP6, had no significant effects compared to ${\beta}$-catenin. These results indicate that ${\beta}$-catenin is a candidate gene for human fat accumulation. In general, serum triglyceride level is a good indicator of fat accumulation in humans. According to statistical analyses of the association between serum triglyceride level and SNPs of ${\beta}$-catenin, -10,288 C>T SNP (rs7630377) in the promoter region was significantly associated with serum triglyceride levels (p<0.05) in 290 Korean subjects. On the other hand, serum cholesterol levels were not significantly associated with SNPs of the ${\beta}$-catenin gene. The results of this study showed that ${\beta}$-catenin is associated with fat accumulation both in vitro and in the human population.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 2017

Mori Folium, the leaf of Morus alba, is a traditional medicinal herb that shows various pharmacological activities such as antiinflammatory, antidiabetic, antimelanogenesis, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiallergic, and immunomodulatory activities. However, the mechanisms of their inhibitory effects on adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis remain poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the inhibition of adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis by ethanol extracts of Mori Folium (EEMF) in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Treatment with EEMF suppressed the terminal differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, as confirmed by a decrease in the lipid droplet number and lipid content through Oil Red O staining. EEMF significantly reduced the accumulation of cellular triglyceride, which is associated with a significant inhibition of pro-adipogenic transcription factors, including sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$), and CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$) and ${\beta}$ ($C/EBP{\beta}$). In addition, EEMF potentially downregulated the expression of adipocyte-specific genes, including adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (aP2) and leptin. Furthermore, EEMF treatment effectively increased the phosphorylation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC); however, treatment with a potent inhibitor of AMPK, compound C, significantly restored the EEMF-induced inhibition of pro-adipogenic transcription factors and adipocyte-specific genes. These results together indicate that EEMF has preeminent effects on the inhibition of adipogenesis through the AMPK signaling pathway, and further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds in Mori Folium.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.888-895
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• 2017

Salsola collina (S. collina) is an annual plant widely distributed in drought and semi-drought areas, which has been used for a long time as a kind of folk remedy in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hypertension. Previously, the anti-oxidative and anti-cancer activities of S. collina were elucidated in our research group. In this study, the anti-obesity activities of S. collina ethanol extract (SCEE) were evaluated using a pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay and cell culture model. The results showed that SCEE effectively suppressed pancreatic lipase enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SCEE significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, and triglyceride (TG) content, and triggered lipolysis on insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine-treated 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Its anti-obesity effect was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene, as well as protein expressions. Taken together, these results offer the important new insight that S. collina possesses anti-obesity properties, such as pancreatic lipase inhibition and anti-adipogenic and lipolysis effects through the modulation of their upstream signaling pathway. It could become a promising source in the field of nutraceuticals, and the identification of active compounds that confer the biological activities of SCEE may be needed.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.341-349
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• 2013

In this study, the anti-oxidative and anti-obesity activities of two medicinal herb extracts, Tetrapanax papyriferus (TP) and Siegesbeckia pubescens (SP), were evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging activity assay, lipase enzyme inhibition assay, and the cell culture model system. Both methanol extracts of TP and SP showed DPPH radical scavenging activities dose-dependently, and the $IC_{50}$ of DPPH radical scavenging activities of the two medicinal herbs were 65.23 and 47.79 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Furthermore, both extracts suppressed effectively lipase enzyme activity dose-dependently. Moreover, TP and SP extracts significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, triglyceride (TG) contents on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Their anti-obesity effect was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$ and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene and protein expressions. Furthermore, TP and SP possessed a synergistic effect on anti-obesity activity. The identification of the active compounds that confer the anti-obesity activity of TP and SP might be needed.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.354-360
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• 2014

In this study, the anti-obesity activity of Smilax china methanol extract (SCME) was evaluated using a pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay, and a cell culture model system. Results indicated that, SCME effectively inhibited pancreatic lipase enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SCME significantly suppressed insulin, dexamethasone, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine-induced adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, and triglyceride contents on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, in a dose-dependent manner. The anti-adipogenic effect was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins (C/EBP) ${\alpha}$, $C/EBP{\beta}$, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ gene and protein expressions. Moreover, SCME triggered lipolysis effects dose-dependently on adipocyte. Taken together, these results provide an important new insight into SCME, indicating that it possesses anti-obesity activity through pancreatic lipase inhibition, anti-adipogenic and lipolysis effects. SCME may therefore be utilized as a promising source in the field of nutraceuticals. The identification of active compounds that confer the anti-obesity activities of SCME may be a logical next step.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.249-257
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• 2014

In this study, the anti-oxidative and anti-obesity activities of Amomum cardamomum L. methanol extract (ACME) were evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging activity assay, pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay, and the cell culture model system. ACME exhibited DPPH radical scavenging activities dose-dependently, with $IC_{50}$ of DPPH radical scavenging activities of ACME being $25.15{\mu}g/ml$. Furthermore, ACME effectively suppressed pancreatic lipase enzyme activity dose-dependently. ACME also significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, triglyceride (TG) contents, and triggered lipolysis activity on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, without cytotoxicity. Their anti-obesity effect was modulated by the cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$ and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene and protein expressions. Taken together, these results provide an important new insight that A. cardamomum L. possesses anti-oxidative and anti-obesity activities such as pancreatic lipase inhibition, anti-adipogenic, and lipolysis effects. There is therefore potential for its use as a promising component in the field of nutraceuticals and the identification of the active compounds that confer the anti-oxidative and anti-obesity activities of ACME might be an appropriate next step.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.336-342
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• 2015

Previously, Euptelea pleiosperma was identified as one of the useful sources containing anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities for the first time in our research group. In this study, anti-obesity effect of E. pleiosperma ethanol extract (EPEE) was evaluated by using a pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay and a cell culture model system. EPEE suppressed effectively pancreatic lipase enzyme activity dose dependently. Furthermore, EPEE significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, triglyceride contents, and triggered lipolysis activity on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Anti-adipogenic effect of EPEE was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}(C/EBP{\alpha})$, $C/EBP{\beta}$ and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}(PPAR{\gamma})$ gene and protein expressions. Taken together, these results provide the important new insight that E. pleiosperma possesses anti-obesity activities such as pancreatic lipase inhibition, anti-adipogenic, and lipolysis effects. It might be utilized as promising sources in the fields of nutraceuticals. The identification of active compounds that confer anti-obesity activity of EPEE might be needed.