Abstract
Background
Currently, the regulation of energy homeostasis through increased energy consumption is attracting attention to treat obesity. White adipose tissue is known to play a role in accumulating energy by storing excess energy, while brown adipose tissue consumes energy and maintains body temperature. Thus, the browning of white adipose tissue has been confirmed to be effective in controlling obesity. Hedera helix (H. helix) has been widely used as a traditional medicine for various diseases. In several previous studies, hederagenin (HDG) from H. helix has demonstrated many biological activities. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effect of HDG on fat browning in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
Methods
Cytotoxicity was assessed in 3T3-L1 cells through the Dimethyl sulfoxide and thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while the extent of lipid accumulation was compared using the Oil red O (ORO) assay. Protein expression and mRNA expression were compared using Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).
Results Consequent to HDG treatment, a reduction in lipid accumulation was confirmed through oil red O staining. In addition, this study confirmed that HDG increases heat production by upregulating the expression of several targets related to thermogenesis, including uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). This process is closely related to the inhibition of lipogenesis through the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation signaling pathway and lipolysis through the protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway.
Conclusions
HDG is expected to be effective in promoting fat browning, indicating its potential as a natural anti-obesity candidate.