Bitter Orange (Citrus aurantium Linné) Improves Obesity by Regulating Adipogenesis and Thermogenesis through AMPK Activation

• Published in: Nutrients 2019-08, Vol.11 (9), p.1988
• Main Authors: Park, Jinbong, Kim, Hye-Lin, Jung, Yunu, Ahn, Kwang Seok, Kwak, Hyun Jeong, Um, Jae-Young
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3T3-L1 Cells; Adipocytes; Adipocytes, Brown - drug effects; Adipocytes, Brown - enzymology; Adipocytes, White - drug effects; Adipocytes, White - enzymology; Adipogenesis; Adipogenesis - drug effects; Adipose tissue; Adipose Tissue - drug effects; Adipose Tissue - enzymology; Adipose Tissue - physiopathology; AMP-activated protein kinase; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Animals; Anti-Obesity Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Obesity Agents - pharmacology; bitter orange; Body weight; CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein; Cholesterol; Citrus - chemistry; Citrus aurantium; Citrus fruits; Comorbidity; Diabetes; Diet; Diet, High-Fat; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Activation; Expenditures; Flavonoids; Global health; Health risks; High fat diet; Immunoglobulins; Kinases; Laboratories; Lipids; Male; Medical research; Metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Obesity; Obesity - drug therapy; Obesity - enzymology; Obesity - physiopathology; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Proteins; Signal Transduction; Thermogenesis; Thermogenesis - drug effects; Uncoupling protein 1; Weight control
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu11091988

Obesity is a global health threat. Herein, we evaluated the underlying mechanism of anti-obese features of bitter orange ( Linné, CA). Eight-week-administration of CA in high fat diet-induced obese C57BL/6 mice resulted in a significant decrease of body weight, adipose tissue weight and serum cholesterol. In further in vitro studies, we observed decreased lipid droplets in CA-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Suppressed peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha indicated CA-inhibited adipogenesis. Moreover, CA-treated primary cultured brown adipocytes displayed increased differentiation associated with elevation of thermogenic factors including uncoupling protein 1 and PPARγ coactivator 1 alpha as well. The effects of CA in both adipocytes were abolished in AMP-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα)-suppressed environments, suggesting the anti-adipogenic and pro-thermogenic actions of CA were dependent on AMPKα pathway. In conclusion, our results suggest CA as a potential anti-obese agent which regulates adipogenesis and thermogenesis via AMPKα.