The Gintonin-Enriched Fraction of Ginseng Regulates Lipid Metabolism and Browning via the cAMP-Protein Kinase a Signaling Pathway in Mice White Adipocytes

• Published in: Biomolecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2020-07, Vol.10 (7), p.1048
• Main Authors: Lee, Kippeum, Jin, Heegu, Chei, Sungwoo, Oh, Hyun-Ji, Choi, Sun-Hye, Nah, Seung-Yeol, Lee, Boo-Yong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3T3-L1 Cells; Adipocytes; Adipocytes, Brown - metabolism; Adipocytes, White - drug effects; Adipocytes, White - metabolism; Adipogenesis - drug effects; Animals; browning; Cell culture; Cell differentiation; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cyclic AMP - metabolism; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases - metabolism; Diabetes; Energy; Energy expenditure; Energy Metabolism; Fat cells; Fat metabolism; Ginseng; gintonin-enriched fraction; Health aspects; Immunofluorescence; Inflammation; Insulin; Intermediates; Kinases; Lipid metabolism; Lipid Metabolism - drug effects; Lipids; Lipolysis; Medicinal plants; Metabolic disorders; Metabolism; Mice; Neuroprotection; Obesity; Observations; Panax - chemistry; Phosphatase; Phosphorylation; Phosphorylation - drug effects; Physiological aspects; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Protein kinase A; Protein kinases; Protein turnover; Proteins; Saponins; Signal transduction; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Therapeutic applications; Thermogenesis; triglycerides; Western blotting; white adipocyte
• ISSN: 2218-273X; 2218-273X
• DOI: 10.3390/biom10071048

Obesity is a major health concern and is becoming an increasingly serious societal problem worldwide. The browning of white adipocytes has received considerable attention because of its potential protective effect against obesity-related metabolic disease. The gintonin-enriched fraction (GEF) is a non-saponin, glycolipoprotein component of ginseng that is known to have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the anti-obesity and browning effects of GEF have not been explored to date. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether GEF has a preventive effect against obesity. We differentiated 3T3-L1 cells and mouse primary subcutaneous adipocytes for 8 days in the presence or absence of GEF, and then measured the expression of intermediates in signaling pathways that regulate triglyceride (TG) synthesis and browning by Western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis. We found that GEF reduced lipid accumulation by reducing the expression of pro-adipogenic and lipogenic factors, and increased lipolysis and thermogenesis, which may be mediated by an increase in the phosphorylation of protein kinase A. These findings suggest that GEF may induce fat metabolism and energy expenditure in white adipocytes and therefore may represent a potential treatment for obesity.