title: Oleanolic acid reduces markers of differentiation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
abstract: Oleanolic acid is a triterpenoid compound that is widely present in vegetables, medicinal herbs, and other plants and has potent antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. However, the potential of oleanolic acid to offset obesity is not clear. This study tested the hypothesis that oleanolic acid suppresses the differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes by downregulating cellular induction of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT) enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα). The 3T3-L1 adipocytes were cultured and differentiated in Dulbecco modified Eagle medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum for 6 to 8 days in the absence and presence of 1 to 25 μmol/L oleanolic acid according to differentiating protocols. Nontoxic oleanolic acid, at 25 μmol/L or less, dose-dependently attenuated lipid accumulation in differentiated adipocytes as evidenced by Oil Red O staining. Western blot analysis showed that the induction of PPARγ and C/EBPα was markedly attenuated in differentiated and oleanolic acid-treated adipocytes at their transcriptional messenger RNA levels. Furthermore, this study examined whether oleanolic acid dampened the induction of visfatin, a proinflammatory and visceral fat-specific adipokine expressed in adipocytes. Visfatin expression was inhibited in differentiated adipocytes exposed to a PPARγ inhibitor GW9662. In addition, the visfatin production was significantly repressed in 25 μmol/L oleanolic acid-treated adipocytes, possibly through blocking PPARγ activation. These results demonstrate that oleanolic acid may be a promising agent to disturb adipocyte differentiation and suppress obesity-associated inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition and Regional Research Universities Program/Medical and Bio-Materials Research Center, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do 200-702, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Sang-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jung-Lye
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Eun-Sook
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ju-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Seoung Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Young-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D000813:Anilides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015153:Blotting, Western; D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015536:Down-Regulation; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: C457499:2-chloro-5-nitrobenzanilide; D000813:Anilides; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha; D047495:PPAR gamma; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009828:Oleanolic Acid; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase