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

Abstract

Obesity is a global health threat. Herein, we evaluated the underlying mechanism of anti-obese features of bitter orange (Citrus aurantium 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.

• Authors: Jinbong Park, Hye-Lin Kim, Yunu Jung, Kwang Seok Ahn, Hyun Jeong Kwak, Jae-Young Um
• Journal: Nutrients (Nutrients) Vol. 11 Issue 9 (Aug 22 2019) ISSN: 2072-6643 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 31443565 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Obesity Agents
• Plant Extracts
• AMP-Activated Protein Kinases

Topics

• 3T3-L1 Cells
• AMP-Activated Protein Kinases (metabolism)
• Adipocytes, Brown (drug effects, enzymology)
• Adipocytes, White (drug effects, enzymology)
• Adipogenesis (drug effects)
• Adipose Tissue (drug effects, enzymology, physiopathology)
• Animals
• Anti-Obesity Agents (isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Citrus (chemistry)
• Diet, High-Fat
• Disease Models, Animal
• Enzyme Activation
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Obesity (drug therapy, enzymology, physiopathology)
• Plant Extracts (isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Signal Transduction
• Thermogenesis (drug effects)