Extract of Kuding tea prevents high-fat diet-induced metabolic disorders in C57BL/6 mice via liver X receptor (LXR) β antagonism.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the effects of ilex kudingcha C. J. Tseng (kuding tea), a traditional beverage in China, on the metabolic disorders in C57BL/6 mice induced by high-fat diets.

DESIGN:

For the preventive experiment, the female C57BL/6 mice were fed with a standard diet (Chow), high-fat diet (HF), and high-fat diet mixed with 0.05% ethanol extract of kuding tea (EK) for 5 weeks. For the therapeutic experiment, the C57BL/6 mice were fed high-fat diet for 3 months, and then mice were split and EK was given with oral gavages for 2 weeks at 50 mg/day/kg. Body weight and daily food intake amounts were measured. At the end of treatment, the adipocyte images were assayed with a scanning electron microscope, and the fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance test, serum lipid profile and lipids in the livers were analyzed. A reporter gene assay system was used to test the whether EK could act on nuclear receptor transcription factors, and the gene expression analysis was performed with a quantitative PCR assay.

RESULTS:

In the preventive treatment, EK blocked the body weight gain, reduced the size of the adipocytes, lowered serum triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, fasting blood glucose levels and glucose tolerance in high-fat diet-fed C57BL/6 mice. In the therapeutic treatment, EK reduced the size of the white adipocytes, serum TG and fasting blood glucose levels in obese mice. With the reporter assay, EK inhibited LXRβ transactivity and mRNA expression of LXRβ target genes.

CONCLUSION:

We observed that EK has both preventive and therapeutic roles in metabolic disorders in mice induced with high-fat diets. The effects appear to be mediated through the antagonism of LXRβ transactivity. Our data indicate that kuding tea is a useful dietary therapy and a potential source for the development of novel anti-obesity and lipid lowering drugs.

• Authors: Shengjie Fan, Yu Zhang, Na Hu, Qinhu Sun, Xiaobo Ding, Guowen Li, Bin Zheng, Ming Gu, Feisi Huang, Yin-Qiang Sun, Zhiqin Zhou, Xiong Lu, Cheng Huang, Guang Ji
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 7 Issue 12 Pg. e51007 ( 2012) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23226556 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Culture Media
• Ligands
• Liver X Receptors
• Orphan Nuclear Receptors
• Plant Extracts
• Tea
• Ethanol

Topics

• 3T3-L1 Cells
• Adipocytes (cytology, drug effects)
• Animals
• Cell Differentiation (drug effects, genetics)
• Culture Media (pharmacology)
• Diet, High-Fat
• Ethanol
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation (drug effects)
• Hyperlipidemias (complications, drug therapy, pathology, prevention & control)
• Ligands
• Lipogenesis (drug effects, genetics)
• Liver (drug effects, metabolism, pathology)
• Liver X Receptors
• Metabolic Diseases (drug therapy, genetics, pathology, prevention & control)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Obesity (complications, drug therapy, pathology, prevention & control)
• Orphan Nuclear Receptors (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Extracts (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Tea (chemistry)