• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2014

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution For decades, Spergularia marina, a local food that is popular in South Korea, has been regarded as a nutritious source of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. While several halophytes are reported to possess distinct bioactivities, S. marina has yet to be promoted as a natural source of bioactives. In this study, the effects of S. marina on the adipogenic differentiation of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts and the osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts and C2C12 myoblast cells were evaluated. The anti-adipogenic effect of S. marina was assessed by measuring lipid accumulation and adipogenic differentiation marker expression. S. marina treatment significantly reduced lipid accumulation and notably decreased the gene levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$, and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c. In addition, S. marina enhanced osteoblast differentiation, as indicated by increased alkaline phosphatase activity and increased levels of osteoblastogenesis indicators, namely bone morphogenetic protein-2, osteocalcin, and type I collagen. In conclusion, S. marina could be a source of functional food ingredients that improve osteoporosis and obesity. Further studies, including activity-based fractionation, will elucidate the mechanism of action and active ingredients of S. marina, which would provide researchers with a better understanding of the nutraceutical and therapeutic applications of S. marina.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In this study, we investigated whether Gelidium amansii extract (GAE) ameliorates obesity in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: The mice were maintained on a high-fat diet (HD) for 5 weeks to generate the DIO mouse model. And then mice fed HD plus 0.5% (GAE1), 1% (GAE2) or 2% (GAE3) for 8 weeks. RESULTS: After the experimental period, GAE-supplemented groups were significantly lower than the HD group in body weight gain and liver weight. GAE supplemented groups were significantly lower than the HD group in both epididymal and mesenteric adipose tissue mass. The plasma leptin level was significantly higher in the HD group than in GAE-supplemented groups. The leptin level of HD+GAE3 group was significantly lower than that of the HD+conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) group. In contrast, plasma adiponectin level of the HD group was significantly lower than those of HD+GAE2 and HD+GAE3 groups. The expression levels of adipogenic proteins such as fatty acid synthase, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$, and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ in the GAE supplemented groups were significantly decreased than those in HD group, respectively. In addition, the expression levels of HD+GAE2 and HD+GAE3 groups are significantly decreased compared to those of HD+CLA group. On the contrary, the expression levels of hormone-sensitive lipase and phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase, proteins associated with lipolysis, were significantly increased in the GAE supplemented groups compared to those in the HD group. HD+GAE3 group showed the highest level among the GAE supplemented groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that GAE supplementation stimulated the expressions of lipid metabolic factors and reduced weight gain in HD-fed C57BL/6J obese mice.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.568-578
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Psidium guajava L. (guava) leaves have been shown to exhibit hypoglycemic and antidiabetic effects in rodents. This study investigated the effects of guava leaf extract on adipogenesis, glucose uptake, and lipolysis of adipocytes to examine whether the antidiabetic properties are mediated through direct effects on adipocytes. MATERIALS/METHODS: 3T3-L1 cells were treated with 25, 50, 100 ㎍/mL of methanol extract from guava leaf extract (GLE) or 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide as a control. Lipid accumulation was evaluated with Oil Red O Staining and AdipoRed assay. Immunoblotting was performed to measure the expression of adipogenic transcription factors, fatty acid synthase (FAS), and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Glucose uptake under basal or insulin-stimulated condition was measured using a glucose analog 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) amino]-2-deoxy-D-glucose. Lipolysis from fully differentiated adipocytes was measured by free fatty acids release into the culture medium in the presence or absence of epinephrine. RESULTS: Oil Red O staining and AdipoRed assay have shown that GLE treatment reduced lipid accumulation during adipocyte differentiation. Mitotic clonal expansion, an early essential event for adipocyte differentiation, was inhibited by GLE treatment. GLE inhibited the expression of transcription factors involved in adipocyte differentiation, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor 𝛄 (PPAR𝛄), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c). FAS expression was also decreased while the phosphorylation of AMPK was increased by GLE treatment. In addition, GLE increased insulin-induced glucose uptake into adipocytes. In lipid-filled mature adipocytes, GLE enhanced epinephrine-induced lipolysis but reduced basal lipolysis dose-dependently. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that GLE inhibits adipogenesis and improves adipocyte function by reducing basal lipolysis and increasing insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in adipocytes, which can be partly associated with antidiabetic effects of guava leaves.

• ALGAE
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.81-92
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• 2023

Obesity-induced inflammation is crucial in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In this study, we investigated the effects of the Gracilaria chorda (GC) on lipid accumulation and obesity-induced inflammatory changes or glucose homeostasis in cell models (3T3-L1 adipocytes and RAW 264.7 macrophages). Samples of GC were extracted using solvents (water, methanol, and ethanol) and subcritical water (SW) at different temperatures (90, 150, and 210℃). The total phenolic content of GCSW extract at 210℃ (GCSW210) showed the highest content compared to others, and GCSW210 highly inhibited lipid accumulation and significantly reduced gene expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, and fatty acid synthase in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In addition, GCSW210 effectively downregulated the pro-inflammatory cytokine regulator pathways in RAW 264.7 macrophages, including mitogen-activated protein kinase, signal transducers and activators of transcription and nuclear factor-κB. In co-culture of 3T3-L1 adipocytes and RAW 264.7 macrophages, GCSW210 significantly reduced nitric oxide production and interleukin-6 levels, and improved glucose uptake with dose-dependent manner. These findings suggest that GCSW210 improves glucose metabolism by attenuating obesity-induced inflammation in adipocytes, which may be used as a possible treatment option for managing obesity and associated metabolic disorders.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

Arctii Lappa Fructus has the numerous health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. Skin lipids are one of several factors that maintain epidermal barrier function. This study was to explore the lipogenic effect by ethanol extract of Arctii Lappa Fructus (EAF) in sebocytes. First, it was confirmed that EAF exhibited high antioxidant activity and collagenase activity inhibition. We found that cholesterol and triglyceride levels of cells by EAF were increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, EAF increased the expression of transcription factor sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) in the cells. These results suggest that EAF induces lipogenesis in cells through the activation of SREBP-1.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2014

This study was carried out to investigate the potential effects of Gardenia jasminoides (GJ) extracts, on hepatic steatosis and lipid metabolism in mice fed with high-fat diet (HFD). GJ extracts (100 mg/kg, ${\times}10$ weeks) fed mice showed reduced body weight, adipose tissue weight, reduced aminotransferase level in plasma and hepatic lipid (triglyceride, total cholesterol) content. These effects were accompanied by decreased expression of lipogenic genes, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), liver X receptor (LXR), fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and decreased lipogenic enzyme FAS and HMG-CoAR enzyme activities while elevating carnitine palmitoyltrasferase-1 (CPT) activity. Based on these results, we speculated that the inhibitory effect on hepatic steatosis of GJ extract containing geniposide is the result of suppression of lipid synthesis in mice fed with HFD, suggesting that GJ extract may be beneficial in preventing hepatic steatosis.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2008

Chronic exposure to ethanol induces cumulative damage to the liver starting from fatty infiltration to cirrhosis depending on the dose and duration of exposure. The whole process leading to the development of alcoholic liver disease is very complex and the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Among many experimental animal models, Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet provides moderate to severe pathophysiological outcome depending on the compositional changes. In the present study, we investigated the temporal changes in the early phase hepatic disease in rats fed with standard Lieber-DeCarli diet. Male Wistar rats were fed with Lieber-Decarli ethanol diet for 6 weeks and the liver samples were obtained after 2, 4 and 6 weeks. Mild fatty infiltration was observed in 2 weeks of feeding and it became evident in 4 and 6 week samples. The level of hepatic triglyceride showed a good agreement with the data obtained in the pathological analysis. Feeding mice with ethanol diet resulted in the maturation and translocation of SREBP-1 to nucleus in the liver. Western blot analysis of the pooled liver sample of control and ethanol fed animals showed a clear-cut time-dependent increase in the expression of nSREBP-1. These data provide important information for selecting proper time point in experimental intervention study in the field of drug development for alcoholic liver disease.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.268-273
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• 2012

This study was to explore the lipogenic effect by ethanol extract of ponciri fructus (EPF) and possible molecular mechanisms in sebocyte. When SZ95 sebocyte cell line were treated with the EPF, lipid droplets were accumulated in the majority of cells. EPF increased expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) in the SZ95 cells. EPF augmented expression of PPAR-${\beta}$ and PPAR-${\gamma}$ but not that of PPAR-${\alpha}$. These results suggest that EPF induces lipogenesis in SZ95 cells through SREBP-1, PPAR-${\beta}$ and PPAR-${\gamma}$ activations.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.311-318
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• 2018

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplementation has been suggested to negatively correlate with obesity in humans and other animals. Previous studies, including ours, have demonstrated that a high-fat diet (HFD) induces obesity and related diseases such as hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Here, we investigated the effects of vitamin C on visceral adipocyte hypertrophy and glucose intolerance in C57BL/6J mice. Mice received a low-fat diet (LFD, 10% kcal fat), HFD (45% kcal fat), or the same HFD supplemented with vitamin C (HFD-VC, 1% w/w) for 15 weeks. Visceral adiposity and glucose intolerance were examined using metabolic measurements, histology, and gene expression analyses. Mice in the HFD-VC supplementation group had reduced body weight, mesenteric fat mass, and mesenteric adipocyte size compared with HFD-fed mice. Vitamin C intake in obese mice also decreased the mRNA levels of lipogenesis-related genes (i.e., stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c) in mesenteric adipose tissues, inhibited hyperglycemia, and improved glucose tolerance. In addition, vitamin C attenuated the HFD-induced increase in the size of pancreatic islets. These results suggest that vitamin C suppresses HFD-induced visceral adipocyte hypertrophy and glucose intolerance in part by decreasing the visceral adipose expression of genes involved in lipogenesis.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2024

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the inhibitory effects of Bangpungtongsungsan extract (BTS) on fat accumulation in high-fat diet-induced young obese mice. Methods The extract was administered to 3-week-old C57BL/6 male mice fed with a high-fat diet. The experimental groups were divided into a control group (Ctrl), high-fat diet group (HFDF), and BTS treated group after high fat diet feeding (BTST), with 10 mice assigned to each group. Lipid synthesis was observed to confirm the inhibition of fat synthesis. Changes in body weight, body fat percentage, and total cholesterol in the blood were observed to confirm weight control. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1 positivity was observed to confirm the inhibition of fat accumulation in liver tissue. Results Bangpungtongsungsan significantly inhibited lipid synthesis. Changes in body weight, body fat percentage, and total cholesterol in the blood were significantly lower in BTST rats than in HFDF rats. PPAR-γ and SREBP-1 positivity were significantly lower in BTST rats compared to HFDF rats. Conclusions This study confirms the potential of BTST to inhibit fat accumulation in obesity.