Shih-Yu Lee
National Defense Medical Center, Taiwan
Title: Rhodiola crenulata extract regulates hepatic glycogen and lipid metabolism via activation of the AMPK pathway
Biography
Biography: Shih-Yu Lee
Abstract
Background: Metabolic syndrome may lead to many complications, such as non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A natural and effective therapeutic agent for patients with NAFLD is urgently needed. In a previous study, we showed that Rhodiola crenulata root extract (RCE) regulated hepatic gluconeogenesis through activation of AMPK signaling. However, the manner in which RCE regulates hepatic lipid and glycogen metabolism remains unclear. The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of RCE on hepatic glycogen and lipid metabolism, as well as the mechanisms underlying such effects. Methods: Human hepatoma HepG2 cells were treated with RCE for 6 hours under high glucose conditions, after which glycogen synthesis, lipogenesis and relative gene expression were examined. In addition, lipogenesis related genes were investigated in vivo. Results: RCE significantly increased glycogen synthesis and inhibited lipogenesis, while regulating genes related to these processes, including glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), glycogen synthase (GS), fatty acid synthase (FAS), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c). However, the effects caused by RCE were neutralized by compound C, an AMPK antagonist. Further studies showed that expression levels of lipogenic genes decreased at the protein and mRNA levels in the rat liver. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that RCE regulates hepatic glycogen and lipid metabolism through the AMPK signaling pathway. These results suggest that RCE is a potential intervention for patients with NAFLD.