Genistein Ameliorates Fat Accumulation Through AMPK Activation in Fatty Acid‐Induced BRL Cells

• Published in: Journal of food science 2017-11, Vol.82 (11), p.2719-2725
• Main Authors: Zhong, Huijia, Liu, Huanhuan, Jiang, Zhuoqin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulation; Activation; Adenosine kinase; Adenosine monophosphate; Adenosine Monophosphate - metabolism; adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase; Adipogenesis - drug effects; AMP; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases - genetics; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Animals; Cell Line; Cell lines; Data processing; Excretion; fatty acid metabolism; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids - metabolism; Fatty liver; Gene expression; Genistein; Genistein - pharmacology; Hep G2 Cells; Hepatocytes - drug effects; Hepatocytes - metabolism; Humans; In vivo methods and tests; Kinases; Lipogenesis - drug effects; Liver; Liver diseases; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolism; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - genetics; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - metabolism; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - physiopathology; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Palmitic acid; Phosphorylation; Phosphorylation - drug effects; Protein kinase; Rats; Up-Regulation - drug effects
• ISSN: 0022-1147; 1750-3841
• DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.13856

Genstein is the most abundant phytoestrogen in soybean that was reported to play positive roles in menopausal syndrome and metabolic syndrome. In the present study, we investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of genistein against progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in BRL cells treated with fatty acid mixture (oleate/palmitate, 2:1 ratio). Our data demonstrated that genistein remarkably improved fatty acid mixture‐induced hepatocelluler fat accumulation, inhibited upregulation of genes expression related to fatty acid synthesis, and derepressed those associated with fatty acid oxidation. In addition, the results displayed that genistein promoted the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) suppressed by fatty acid, which were significantly weakened by compound C, an AMPK inhibitor. Taken all together, genistein is capable to ameliorate fat accumulation through regulation of fatty acid metabolism mediated by AMPK activation in BRL cells. Further investigations are needed to verify the protective effects of genistein on NAFLD model in in vivo animal study or in vitro human cell lines along with absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion studies of genistein. Practical Application Genistein is able to ameliorate fat accumulation through regulation of fatty acid metabolism mediated by AMPK activation in vitro.