Extract of <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> Induces Browning of Mouse and Human White Adipocytes
Browning of adipocytes using herbal extracts is an attractive and realistic strategy for obesity treatment. <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> (<i>E. sinica</i>) is an Asian traditional medicine known to activate brown adipocytes. To evaluate the effect of <i>E. sinica</i&g...
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/7/1028 |
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| author | Se-Jun Park Dong-Hyun Shon Yang-Hwan Ryu Yong Ko |
| author_facet | Se-Jun Park Dong-Hyun Shon Yang-Hwan Ryu Yong Ko |
| author_sort | Se-Jun Park |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Browning of adipocytes using herbal extracts is an attractive and realistic strategy for obesity treatment. <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> (<i>E. sinica</i>) is an Asian traditional medicine known to activate brown adipocytes. To evaluate the effect of <i>E. sinica</i> (EEs) on the browning of white adipocytes, expression levels of browning markers, including uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), were determined using qPCR, Western blot, and immunocytochemistry after mature mouse inguinal preadipocyte (mIPA) and human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) were treated with EEs. In addition, mitochondrial activity was determined by analyzing MitoTracker staining, mtDNA copy number, and oxygen consumption rate (OCR). Treatment with EEs suppressed lipid accumulation and expression levels of adipogenic markers, including <i>Pparg</i>, during mIPA differentiation. In mature mIPA and hADSCs browning markers, including <i>Ucp1</i>, were up-regulated by EEs. In addition, EEs increased expression of mitochondrial genes, mtDNA copy number, and OCR. EEs showed a dual function: inhibiting adipogenesis in immature preadipocytes, and promoting thermogenesis via browning in mature white adipocytes. Therefore, <i>E. sinica</i> is a potential herb for regulating energy metabolism by inducing the browning process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:50:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0e35b19e28234edfa6fc595b8380cc56 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:50:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-0e35b19e28234edfa6fc595b8380cc562023-11-30T23:16:01ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582022-04-01117102810.3390/foods11071028Extract of <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> Induces Browning of Mouse and Human White AdipocytesSe-Jun Park0Dong-Hyun Shon1Yang-Hwan Ryu2Yong Ko3Division of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, KoreaDivision of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, KoreaDivision of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, KoreaDivision of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, KoreaBrowning of adipocytes using herbal extracts is an attractive and realistic strategy for obesity treatment. <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> (<i>E. sinica</i>) is an Asian traditional medicine known to activate brown adipocytes. To evaluate the effect of <i>E. sinica</i> (EEs) on the browning of white adipocytes, expression levels of browning markers, including uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), were determined using qPCR, Western blot, and immunocytochemistry after mature mouse inguinal preadipocyte (mIPA) and human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) were treated with EEs. In addition, mitochondrial activity was determined by analyzing MitoTracker staining, mtDNA copy number, and oxygen consumption rate (OCR). Treatment with EEs suppressed lipid accumulation and expression levels of adipogenic markers, including <i>Pparg</i>, during mIPA differentiation. In mature mIPA and hADSCs browning markers, including <i>Ucp1</i>, were up-regulated by EEs. In addition, EEs increased expression of mitochondrial genes, mtDNA copy number, and OCR. EEs showed a dual function: inhibiting adipogenesis in immature preadipocytes, and promoting thermogenesis via browning in mature white adipocytes. Therefore, <i>E. sinica</i> is a potential herb for regulating energy metabolism by inducing the browning process.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/7/1028adipocyte browning<i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i>mitochondriaobesitythermogenesisUCP1 |
| spellingShingle | Se-Jun Park Dong-Hyun Shon Yang-Hwan Ryu Yong Ko Extract of <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> Induces Browning of Mouse and Human White Adipocytes Foods adipocyte browning <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> mitochondria obesity thermogenesis UCP1 |
| title | Extract of <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> Induces Browning of Mouse and Human White Adipocytes |
| title_full | Extract of <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> Induces Browning of Mouse and Human White Adipocytes |
| title_fullStr | Extract of <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> Induces Browning of Mouse and Human White Adipocytes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Extract of <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> Induces Browning of Mouse and Human White Adipocytes |
| title_short | Extract of <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> Induces Browning of Mouse and Human White Adipocytes |
| title_sort | extract of i ephedra sinica stapf i induces browning of mouse and human white adipocytes |
| topic | adipocyte browning <i>Ephedra sinica Stapf</i> mitochondria obesity thermogenesis UCP1 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/7/1028 |
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