title: Effect of mollugin on apoptosis and adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.
abstract: The effect of mollugin, isolated from the roots of Rubia cordifolia L., on cell viability, apoptosis and adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was investigated. The inhibitory effect of mollugin (40-60 µM) on cell viability was more significant in differentiated adipocytes than in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. In 3T3-L1 cells, the cytotoxicity of mollugin was accompanied by apoptotic events including mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) loss and activation of caspase-9, -3 and -7, leading to PARP degradation. Although the presence of 20 µM mollugin during induced adipocytic differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells for 6 days failed to affect the cell viability, it could almost completely abrogate the differentiation-associated morphology change and intracellular lipid accumulation. A similar level of inhibition was observed, when 20 µM mollugin was present during the early stage (D0-D2) of the differentiation period. In addition, the expression of C/EBPα, PPARγ1 and PPARγ2 was significantly down-regulated. The presence of 20 µM mollugin during either middle stage (D2-D4) or late stage (D4-D6) of the differentiation period, however, caused the inhibition to a lesser extent. These results indicated that mollugin at high concentrations (40-60 µM) exerted cytotoxicity via inducing apoptosis, whereas mollugin at a low concentration (20 µM) suppressed adipocytic differentiation without exerting cytotoxicity in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunobiology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Do Youn
authors.initials: do Y
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Cho Rong
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Myung Sook
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Myung Ae
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Mi Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Young Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D050156:Adipogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053179:Caspase 7 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D011714:Pyrans / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045470:Rubia / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011714:Pyrans; C046245:rubimaillin; D053148:Caspase 3; D053179:Caspase 7; D053453:Caspase 9