title: Licochalcone E has an antidiabetic effect.
abstract: Licochalcone E (lico E) is a retrochalcone isolated from the root of Glycyrrhiza inflata. Retrochalcone compounds evidence a variety of pharmacological profiles, including anticancer, antiparasitic, antibacterial, antioxidative and superoxide-scavenging properties. In this study, we evaluated the biological effects of lico E on adipocyte differentiation in vitro and obesity-related diabetes in vivo. We employed 3T3-L1 preadipocyte and C3H10T1/2 stem cells for in vitro adipocyte differentiation study and diet-induced diabetic mice for in vivo study. The presence of lico E during adipogenesis induced adipocyte differentiation to a significant degree, particularly at the early induction stage. Licochalcone E evidenced weak, but significant, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) ligand-binding activity. Two weeks of lico E treatment lowered blood glucose levels and serum triglyceride levels in the diabetic mice. Additionally, treatment with lico E resulted in marked reductions in adipocyte size and increases in the mRNA expression levels of PPARγ in white adipose tissue (WAT). Licochalcone E was also shown to significantly stimulate Akt signaling in epididymal WAT. In conclusion, lico E increases the levels of PPARγ expression, at least in part, via the stimulation of Akt signals and functions as a PPARγ partial agonist, and this increased PPARγ expression enhances adipocyte differentiation and increases the population of small adipocytes, resulting in improvements in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia under diabetic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, BK21 Project, Oral Science Research Center, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hong Gyu
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Eun Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bak
authors.forename: Gye-Hyeong
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Jin Moon
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Zhejiu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Jung Mogg
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ho-Kun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Seung Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cheon
authors.forename: Goo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Yun-Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Younghwa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Jeong-Heon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cha
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D050156:Adipogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D047188:Chalcones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D047188:Chalcones; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D047495:PPAR gamma; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014280:Triglycerides; C520147:licochalcone E; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt