title: Effect of emodin on proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte and FAS activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of emodin on proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte and the possible mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell proliferation was determined by MTT spectrophotometry, cell differentiation was determined by Oil Red O staining,and fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity was determined by spectrophotometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Emodin promoted proliferation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte at low concentration and inhibited the proliferation at high concentration in a dose-related manner. In contrast, it inhibited cell differentiation into adipocyte at low concentration in a dose-related manner. In vitro emodin inhibited the activity of FAS in a dose-related manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of emodin on 3T3-L1 cell's proliferation and differentiation are dose dependent. Emodin inhibits the activity of FAS. Our results suggest that emodin should have a potential to serve as a fat-reducing drug.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Chongben
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Junhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Youfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Kegang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004642:Emodin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D051379:Mice; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases; D004642:Emodin