title: Licochalcone Suppresses LXRα-Induced Hepatic Lipogenic Gene Expression through AMPK/Sirt1 Pathway Activation.
abstract: Licochalcone (LC), a major phenolic retrochalcone from licorice, has anti-inflammatory activity. This study investigated the effects of licochalcone A (LCA) and licochalcone E (LCE) on Liver X receptor-α (LXRα)-mediated lipogenic gene expression and the molecular mechanisms underlying those effects. LCA and LCE antagonized the ability of LXRα agonists (T0901317 or GW3965) to increase sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) expression and thereby inhibited target gene expression (e.g., FAS and ACC) in HepG2 cells. Moreover, treatment with LCA and LCE impaired LXRα/RXRα-induced CYP7A1-LXRE-luciferase (CYP7A1) transactivation. The AMPK-Sirt1 signaling pathway is an important regulator of energy metabolism and, therefore, a potential therapeutic target for metabolic diseases, including hepatic steatosis. We found here that LCE increased AMPK phosphorylation and Sirt1 expression. We conclude that LC inhibits SREBP-1c-mediated hepatic lipogenesis via activation of the AMPK/Sirt1 signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Yun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hye
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Gwang
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Mokpo National University, Muan, Jeonnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Sik
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Mokpo National University, Muan, Jeonnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Goo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Drug Development, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cheon
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ki
keywords: Hepatic steatosis; Licochalcone A; Licochalcone E; Liver X receptor-α; Sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c