title: [Effect of Astragalus polysaccharides and berberine on carbohydrate metabolism and cell differentiation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of Astragalus polysaccharides (AP) and berberine (BB) on the adipocyte's carbohydrate metabolism and cell differentiation, for assessing the possible mechanism of them in improving carbohydrate metabolism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adipocytes were treated with AP or BE, the 3H-glucose up-take rate in them was investigated, those of differentiation phase were stained by oil red O to analyze the degree of cell differentiation by spectrophotography quantitatively. The adipocyte differentiation related expression of PPARgamma mRNA and C/EBPalpha mRNA were determined by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 3H-glucose up-take rate in the AP group and BE group were 109.3% and 182.7% of that in the blank control group respectively. AP obviously promoted the cell differentiation and up-regulated expression of PPARgamma mRNA, while BE suppressed the differentiation and expression of PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha mRNA distinctly, all showing significant difference as compared with that in the blank control (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AP could promote glucose up-take, cell differentiation and PPARgamma mRNA expression, BB also promote glucose up-take, but suppress the cell differentiation, and inhibit expressions of PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha mRNA in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Integrative Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040.
authors.forename: Shu-hai
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-jian
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xue-feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D027883:Astragalus Plant / Q000737:chemistry; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D047495:PPAR gamma; D011134:Polysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001599:Berberine; C027492:Huang Qi; D005947:Glucose