Pu-erh tea supplementation suppresses fatty acid synthase expression in the rat liver through downregulating Akt and JNK signalings as demonstrated in human hepatoma HepG2 cells.
Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a key enzyme of lipogenesis. Overexpression of FAS is dominant in cancer cells and proliferative tissues. The expression of FAS in the livers of rats fed pu-erh tea leaves was significantly suppressed. The gains in body weight, levels of triacylglycerol, and total cholesterol were also suppressed in the tea-treated rats. FAS expression in hepatoma HepG2 cells was suppressed by the extracts of pu-erh tea at both the protein and mRNA levels. FAS expression in HepG2 cells was strongly inhibited by PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and JNK inhibitor II and slightly inhibited by p38 inhibitor SB203580 and MEK inhibitor PD98059, separately. Based on these findings, we suggest that the suppression of FAS in the livers of rats fed pu-erh tea leaves may occur through downregulation of the PI3K/AKt and JNK signaling pathways. The major components of tea that have been demonstrated to be responsible for the antiobesity and hypolipidemic effects are catechins, caffeine, and theanine. The compositions of catechins, caffeine, and theanine varied dramatically in pu-erh, black, oolong, and green teas. The active principles and molecular mechanisms that exerted these biological effects in pu-erh tea deserve future exploration.
Chiang
Chun-Te
CT
Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine National Taiwan University, Taipei.
Weng
Meng-Shih
MS
Lin-Shiau
Shoei-Yn
SY
Kuo
Kuan-Li
KL
Tsai
Yao-Jen
YJ
Lin
Jen-Kun
JK
D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013662:Tea
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D013662:Tea; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4