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. 2019 Nov 12;11(11):2747.
doi: 10.3390/nu11112747.

Black Ginseng and Ginsenoside Rb1 Promote Browning by Inducing UCP1 Expression in 3T3-L1 and Primary White Adipocytes

Seon-Joo Park  1 , Miey Park  1 , Anshul Sharma  1 , Kihyun Kim  2 , Hae-Jeung Lee  1
Affiliations

Black Ginseng and Ginsenoside Rb1 Promote Browning by Inducing UCP1 Expression in 3T3-L1 and Primary White Adipocytes

Seon-Joo Park et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the effects of black ginseng (BG) and ginsenoside Rb1, which induced browning effects in 3T3-L1 and primary white adipocytes (PWATs) isolated from C57BL/6 mice. BG and Rb1 suppressed the expressions of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) and sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor-1c (SREBP-1c), whereas the expression level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) was increased. Furthermore, BG and Rb1 enhanced the protein expressions of the brown-adipocyte-specific markers PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α), and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). These results were further supported by immunofluorescence images of mitochondrial biogenesis. In addition, BG and Rb1 induced expressions of brown-adipocyte-specific marker proteins by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. BG and Rb1 exert antiobesity effects by inducing browning in 3T3-L1 cells and PWATs through AMPK-mediated pathway activation. We suggest that BG and Rb1 act as potential functional antiobesity food agents.

Keywords: UCP1; black ginseng; browning effect; ginsenoside Rb1; primary white adipocytes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of black ginseng (BG) on lipid accumulation and cell viability in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. (A) Oil Red O staining was used to visualize the lipid droplets to evaluate the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells in the presence (25, 50, and 100 µg/mL) or absence of BG (control; Con). (B) Lipid accumulation was quantified. (C) Relative viability of 3T3-L1 cells in the presence of BG, evaluated using a CCK-8 assay. The data are presented as mean ± SD for three different experiments. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001 vs. Con.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on lipid accumulation and cell viability in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. (A) Oil Red O staining was used to visualize the lipid droplets to evaluate the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells in the presence (10, 20, and 40 µM) or absence of Rb1 (Con). (B) Lipid accumulation was quantified. (C) Relative viability of 3T3-L1 cells in the presence of Rb1, evaluated using a CCK-8 assay. The data are presented as mean ± SD for three different experiments. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 and *** p < 0.001 vs. Con.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effect of BG on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 and primary white adipocytes (PWATs). Protein expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), and sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor-1c (SREBP-1c) were measured by Western blotting at different concentrations of BG (25, 50, and 100 µg/mL) in both 3T3-L1 (A,B) and PWATs (C,D) or absence of BG (Con). The β-actin protein was used as an internal control. The data are presented as mean ± SD for three different experiments. * p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.01 vs. Con.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 and PWATs. Protein expressions of PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP-1c were measured by Western blotting at different concentrations of Rb1 (10, 20, and 40 μM) in both 3T3-L1 (A,B) and PWATs (C,D) or absence of Rb1 (Con). The β-actin protein was used as an internal control. The data are presented as mean ± SD for three different experiments. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001 vs. Con.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Effect of BG on expression of brown adipocyte markers. Protein expressions of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), and PPARγ coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) were measured by Western blotting at different concentrations of BG (25, 50, and 100 µg/mL) in both 3T3-L1 (A,B) and PWATs (C,D) or absence of BG (Con). The β-actin protein was used as an internal control. The data are presented as mean ± SD for three different experiments. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001 vs. Con.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on expression of brown adipocyte markers. Protein expressions of UCP1, PRDM16, and PGC-1α were measured by Western blotting at different concentrations of Rb1 (10, 20, and 40 µM) in both 3T3-L1 (A,B) and PWATs (C,D) or absence of Rb1 (Con). The β-actin protein was used as an internal control. The data are presented as mean ± SD for three different experiments. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001 vs. Con.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Effects of BG and Rb1 treatment on UCP1 protein expression in 3T3-L1 cells and PWATs. 3T3-L1 cells and PWATs treated with BG (A) and Rb1 (B) were subjected to immunofluorescence for UCP1 and stained with MitoTracker Red and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The immunofluorescent images were captured at 200× magnification.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Effect of BG on activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Dose-dependent effect of BG on expression of AMPK phosphorylation (p-AMPK)/AMPK in 3T3-L1 cells (A) and PWATs (B). Expressions were measured by Western blotting. The data are presented as mean ± SD for three different experiments. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001 vs. Con.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Effect of Rb1 on activation of AMPK. Dose-dependent effect of Rb1 on expression of p-AMPK/AMPK in 3T3-L1 cells (A) and PWATs (B). Expressions were measured by Western blotting. The data are presented as mean ± SD for three different experiments. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001 vs. Con.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Effect of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) and dorsomorphin in the presence of BG on the expression of brown adipocyte markers. AICAR (A) and dorsomorphin (B) were added to PWATs. Protein expression levels of PRDM16, UCP1, PGC-1α, and p-AMPK/AMPK were evaluated by Western blotting. The data are presented as mean ± SD for three different experiments. * p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.01 vs. Con.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Effect of AICAR and dorsomorphin in the presence of Rb1 on the expression of brown adipocyte markers. AICAR (A) and dorsomorphin (B) were added to PWATs. Protein expression levels of PRDM16, UCP1, PGC-1α, and p-AMPK/AMPK were evaluated by Western blotting. The data are presented as mean ± SD for three different experiments. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001 vs. Con.
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