title: The inhibition of inflammatory molecule expression on 3T3-L1 adipocytes by berberine is not mediated by leptin signaling.
abstract: In our previous study, we have shown that berberine has both anti-adipogenic and anti-inflammatory effects on 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and the anti-adipogenic effect is due to the down-regulation of adipogenic enzymes and transcription factors. Here we focused more on anti-inflammatory effect of berberine using real time RT-PCR and found it changes expressions of adipokines. We hypothesized that anti-adipogenicity of berberine mediates anti-inflammtory effect and explored leptin as a candidate mediator of this signaling. We studied this hypothesis by western blot analysis, but our results showed that berberine has no effect on the phosphorylations of STAT-3 and ERK which have important roles on leptin signaling. These results led us to conclude that the anti-inflammatory effect of berberine is not mediated by the inhibition of leptin signal transduction. Moreover, we have found that berberine down-regulates NF-kappaB signaling, one of the inflammation-related signaling pathway, through western blot analysis. Taken together, the anti-inflammatory effect of berberine is not mediated by leptin, and berberine induces anti-inflammatory effect independent of leptin signaling.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science, Handong Global University, Heunghae-eup, Buk-gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 791-708, Korea.
authors.forename: Bong-Hyuk
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yu-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In-Sook
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Jung-Heun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Jae-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.forename: Myoung-Sool
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Do