Taiwanese green propolis ethanol extract promotes adipocyte differentiation and alleviates TNF-α-mediated downregulation of adiponectin expression

• Main Authors: Yue-Wen Chen, Yi-Hsuan Chien, Yu-Hsiang Yu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-10-01
• Series: Journal of Functional Foods
• Subjects: Adipocyte differentiation; Adiponectin; Ethanol extract; Mesenchymal stem cells; Taiwanese green propolis; Tumor necrosis factor-α
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464620303595

The objective was to examine the effects of Taiwanese green propolis (TGP) ethanol extract on adipocyte differentiation and lipolysis. TGP ethanol extract significantly enhanced the differentiation of murine mesenchymal stem cells into adipocytes, and this was accompanied by an increase in intracellular triglyceride content and adiponectin levels. TGP ethanol extract significantly increased the expression of adipogenic transcription factor-associated genes in murine mesenchymal stem cells after hormonal induction of adipogenesis. TGP ethanol extract was able to alleviate norepinephrine-induced lipolysis in differentiated adipocytes, which was accompanied by a decrease in lipolytic gene expression. Besides, TGP ethanol extract could reduce the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-mediated inhibition of adiponectin gene expression and secretion during adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and in differentiated adipocytes. These results demonstrate that TGP ethanol extract enhances adipocyte differentiation and is capable of reversing the inhibitory effects of TNF-α on adipocyte differentiation and adiponectin expression in differentiated adipocytes.