Emodin improves glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in obese mice via
activating brown adipose tissue and inducing browning of white adipose
tissue
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Obesity has become a major health threat
worldwide related to type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular
disease, etc. Activating brown adipocytes and inducing browning of white
adipocytes has been proposed as a potential molecular target for obesity
treatment. In the present study, we investigated the effects of emodin
on browning in mice with high-fat diet (HFD) and explore its underlying
pharmacological mechanisms. Experimental Approach: Male C57BL/6J mice
were fed with HFD for 8 weeks to induce obesity. Then the obese mice
were divided into four groups randomly, HFD or emodin (40, 80 mg/kg/day)
or CL 316243 (1 mg/kg/day) for another 6 weeks. Body weight and food
intake were recorded every week. After 6 weeks of treatment, fasting
blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance, Lee’s index, weight ratio (fat
weight/body weight), blood lipids, and adipose tissues morphology were
assayed. Then UCP1, CD36, FATP4, PPARα and PHB protein in subcutaneous
white adipose tissue (scWAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) were
analyzed. In addition, the lipid metabolites in adipose tissues were
analyzed by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrospray
Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry.