title: Resveratrol induces cell apoptosis in adipocytes via AMPK activation.
abstract: Resveratrol is identified as polyphenolic compound with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-insulin resistance characteristics. Moreover, resveratrol exerts pro-apoptotic effects in varieties of cancer cell lines. However, effects and mechanisms of resveratrol on the regulation of adipocytes apoptosis remain largely unknown. In this study, we found that resveratrol treatment could induce cell apoptosis in murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, resveratrol activated the mitochondrial apoptotic signaling pathway with the decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and the activation of caspase 3. Mechanistically, we found that phosphorylation level of AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) was elevated, accompany with reduced level of phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) when cells were exposed to resveratrol. By using small interfering RNAs of AMPKα and specific inhibitor for p-AKT, it was shown that activation of AMPKα could inhibit downstream of p-AKT, consequently activating mitochondrion-mediated apoptotic pathway. Additionally, we observed similar pro-apoptotic effects of Res on mouse primary adipocytes. Our findings clarified the apoptotic effects and underlying mechanisms of resveratrol in adipocytes, suggesting its potential therapeutic application in the treatment or prevention of obesity and related metabolic symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: sifan.chen@dkfz.de.
authors.forename: Sifan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Niman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Zili
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Wenxue
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: zhuyc126@126.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D000077185:Resveratrol; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D013267:Stilbenes; C548179:Prkaa1 protein, mouse; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; D000077185:Resveratrol
keywords: AMP-activated protein kinase α; Apoptosis; Protein kinase B; Resveratrol