Nutritional supplement of Lepidium sativum L. seeds alleviates metabolic disorders and inflammatory responses in high-fat diet-induced obese rats via modulating AMPK/SREBP-1c of PPARγ signaling pathway

Abstract

BackgroundObesity is a multifactorial chronic non-communicable disease that affects more than one- third of the world population. It represents a burden on human health in both developed and developing countries. Nowadays there is an urgent need for effective natural alternatives to manage obesity. This study aimed at exploring the fundamental molecular processes and contributive pathways of the hydroalcoholic extract of Lepidium sativum, L. seeds (LP) to manage weight gain with its accompanied metabolic complications in a high-fat diet-induced obesity animal model. MethodsDifferent doses of the hydroalcoholic extract were investigated for adipogenesis inhibition in liver tissues through Peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) transcriptional activity and mitochondrial phosphorylation of 5′AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) using western blot. Sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c which plays a role in regulating cellular free fatty acid homeostasis via fatty acid oxidation and lipogenesis was evaluated using RT-qPCR gene analysis. Furthermore, Analyses of alterations in body weight and serum biomarkers such as triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), insulin, leptin and adiponectin were used to assess the anti-obesity effect. The protective seeds’ impact on hepatic tissues was further assessed by histopathological examination. The bioactive metabolites profiling was conducted via HPLC/ESI/PDA/MS-MS. ResultsLP effectively modulated PPARγ transcriptional activity via activation of mitochondrial phosphorylation of AMPK. Moreover, RT-qPCR gene analysis presented suppression of nuclear expression of SREBP-1c in dose-dependent method related to control group. Furthermore, it was revealed that LP moderated serum lipid profile, glycemic profile, leptin, and adiponectin. In addition, it reduced liver injury through decreasing ALT and AST enzymes in serum, upregulating liver antioxidant enzyme glutathione, and downregulating oxidative stress manifested in decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The anti-inflammatory activity was confirmed by declining in proinflammatory cytokine leukotriene B4 (LT-B4). ConclusionThis study is the first to report the potential impact of nutritional supplementation of Lepidium sativum seeds (400 mg/kg) to alleviate metabolic disorders and inflammatory responses in high-fat diet-induced obese rats via modulating AMPK/SREBP-1c of the PPARγ signaling Pathway.