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Heme oxygenase-1 mediates the inhibitory effect of ginseng (Panax ginseng) leaf extract on differentiation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

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Abstract

Background

Obesity, which is defined as the excess accumulation of body fat, poses metabolic diseases that result in significant health risks. Since conventional anti-obesity medications are known to have significant side effects, we tried a pharmacological approach with a natural product. Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is a traditional Asian medicine that possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesogenic properties. However, the mechanism of the anti-obesity effects of ginseng leaf extract (GLE) is not yet understood.

Objective

We investigated the mechanism by which GLE inhibits the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

Results

GLE treatment was administered throughout the 8 days differentiation period or at three stages of adipocyte differentiation (early: days 0–2; intermediate: days 2–4; or late: after day 4). During adipocyte differentiation, GLE treatment significantly inhibited 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation at the early stage, leading to a notable reduction in lipid accumulation and a decrease in the expression of crucial adipogenic transcription factors that regulate adipocyte differentiation. GLE also increased the expression of HO-1 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in a dose-dependent manner during adipocyte differentiation. To evaluate the role of HO-1 induced by GLE, we used HO-1 inhibitor SnPP and HO-1 siRNA. Attenuation of HO-1 function and expression inhibited the decrease in lipid accumulation and adipogenic transcription factor expression caused by GLE; furthermore, inhibition of HO-1 suppressed Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Conclusions

Overall, our results suggest that GLE inhibits the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by regulating HO-1 expression and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Therefore, GLE could have preventive uses as a natural product for the treatment of obesity.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to appreciate bioedit [www.bioedit.kr] for English language editing.

Funding

This work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (2021R1A2C1007526).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Sang-Huh Life Sciences, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea

    Hyuk Gyoon Lee, Jinwoo Hur, Jun Pil Won & Han Geuk Seo

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  1. Hyuk Gyoon Lee
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  2. Jinwoo Hur
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Contributions

HGL, JH and HGS contributed to conceptualization and design. HGL and JH conducted methodology and investigation. JH and JPW validated the results. HGL visualized all data and drafted the original manuscript. HGS managed and supervised the entire study and handled manuscript review and editing. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Han Geuk Seo.

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Conflict of interest

Hyuk Gyoon Lee declares that he has no conflict of interest. Jinwoo Hur declares that he has no conflict of interest. Jun Pil Won declares that he has no conflict of interest. Han Geuk Seo declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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Lee, H.G., Hur, J., Won, J.P. et al. Heme oxygenase-1 mediates the inhibitory effect of ginseng (Panax ginseng) leaf extract on differentiation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Mol. Cell. Toxicol. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13273-023-00408-4

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