Abstract
Annual wormwood (AW) (Artemisia annua L.) has anti-malarial, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-tumour, and anti-inflammatory activities. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of annual wormwood leaves (AWL) on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats. 3T3-L1 adipocytes and HFD-induced obese rats were treated with AWL, and its effect on gene expression was analyzed using RT-PCR and Western blotting experiments. Treatment with AWL effectively prevented triglyceride accumulation during adipogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. Consistently, AWL suppressed the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes through the downregulation of dexamethasone, 3-isobutyl-1- methylxanthine, and insulin (DMI)-induced serine/threonine kinase protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) activation and the expression of adipogenic genes, including the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α (C/EBPα) and peroximal proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ). Moreover, the expression of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein 4 (aP2), which is a known PPARγ-target gene, was downregulated by AWL treatment. Oral administration of AWL extracts significantly decreased the body weight gain, adipose tissue mass, adipocyte cell size, serum triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol (TC) levels in HFD-induced obese rats. These results provide novel insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-obesity effects of AWL that are mediated by the downregulation of the expression of major adipogenic transcription factors, C/EBPα and PPARγ and Akt signalling.
Highlights
Obesity is a condition in which a person has an abnormally high and unhealthy proportion of body fat
We further evaluate anti-obesity effects of Annual wormwood leaves (AWL) in obese rats fed high-fat diets (HFDs)
3T3‐L1 cells were stained with and the post confluence, 3T3-L1 cells were treated with indicated concentrations of AWL
Summary
Obesity is a condition in which a person has an abnormally high and unhealthy proportion of body fat. Obesity is a major risk factor for many metabolic disorders, including hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease [1]. Obesity is associated with increased levels of adipocytes and an increase in adipocyte volume. Nutrients 2017, 9, 554 accumulated intracellular triglycerides can be broken down by exercise or diet, obesity caused by increased fat-cell size and the number is difficult to treat, as the fat cells must be destroyed or removed. Adipogenesis is a multi-step process involving a cascade of transcription factors and adipocyte-specific gene expression leading to adipocyte development. Lipid accumulation reflects the process of adipogenesis, which is regulated by genetic and growth factors [2,3]. Adipogenesis is a differentiation process by which preadipocyte cells undergo terminal differentiation to mature adipocytes. CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-δ (C/EBPδ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-β (C/EBPβ) are rapidly and transiently expressed after the hormonal induction of differentiation [4,5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
