title: Arctiin inhibits adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells and decreases adiposity and body weight in mice fed a high-fat diet.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the effects and associated mechanisms of arctiin, a lignan compound found in burdock, on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. Also, the effects of arctiin supplementation in obese mice fed a high-fat diet on adiposity were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  3T3-L1 cells were treated with arctiin (12.5 to 100 µM) during differentiation for 8 days. The accumulation of lipid droplets was determined by Oil Red O staining and intracellular triglyceride contents. The expressions of genes related to adipogenesis were measured by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analyses. For in vivo study, C57BL/6J mice were first fed either a control diet (CON) or high-fat diet (HF) to induce obesity, and then fed CON, HF, or HF with 500 mg/kg BW arctiin (HF + AC) for four weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arctiin treatment to 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes markedly decreased adipogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. The arctiin treatment significantly decreased the protein levels of the key adipogenic regulators PPARγ and C/EBPα, and also significantly inhibited the expression of SREBP-1c, fatty acid synthase, fatty acid-binding protein and lipoprotein lipase. Also, arctiin greatly increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its downstream target phosphorylated-acetyl CoA carboxylase. Furthermore, administration of arctiin significantly decreased the body weight in obese mice fed with the high-fat diet. The epididymal, perirenal or total visceral adipose tissue weights of mice were all significantly lower in the HF + AC than in the HF. Arctiin administration also decreased the sizes of lipid droplets in the epididymal adipose tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arctiin inhibited adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes through the inhibition of PPARγ and C/EBPα and the activation of AMPK signaling pathways. These findings suggest that arctiin has a potential benefit in preventing obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Byulchorong
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Heejin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hye
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Myung Joo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Jayong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chung
keywords: 3T3-L1 cells; AMP kinase; Arctiin; adipogenesis; high-fat diet