Research on Anti-lipogenic Effect and Underlying Mechanism of <i>Laminaria japonica</i> on
Experimental Cellular Model of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Kim, So-yeon; Kwon, Jung-nam; Lee, In; Hong, Jin-woo; Choi, Jun-yong; Park, Seong-ha; Kwun, Min-jung; Joo, Myung-soo; Han, Chang-woo

The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine > Volume 35(2); 2014 > Article

Original Article

The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine 2014;35(2): 175-183.

비알코올성 지방간 세포 모델에서 곤포의 효능과 기전 연구

김소연^1,2, 권정남^1,2, 이인^1,2, 홍진우^1,2, 최준용^1,2, 박성하^1,2, 권민정¹, 주명수¹, 한창우^1,2

¹부산대학교 한의학전문대학원
²부산대학교한방병원 한방내과

Research on Anti-lipogenic Effect and Underlying Mechanism of Laminaria japonica on Experimental Cellular Model of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

So-yeon Kim^1,2, Jung-nam Kwon^1,2, In Lee^1,2, Jin-woo Hong^1,2, Jun-yong Choi^1,2, Seong-ha Park^1,2, Min-jung Kwun¹, Myung-soo Joo¹, Chang-woo Han^1,2

¹School of Korean Medicine, Pu-san National University
²Dept. of Internal Medicine, Korean Medicine Hospital, Pu-san National University

Correspondence

Chang-woo Han ,Tel: 055-360-5957, Fax: 051-510-8420, Email: hancw320@pusan.ac.kr

Published online: June 30, 2014.

ABSTRACT

Objectives:
We tried to uncover the anti-lipogenic effect and underlying mechanism of Laminaria japonica on an experimental cellular model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Methods :
Ethanol extract of Laminaria japonica (LJ) was prepared. Intracellular lipid content of palmitate-treated HepG2 cells was evaluated with or without LJ treatment. We measured the effects of LJ on liver X receptor α (LXRα) and sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor-1c (SREBP-1c) expression, transcription level of lipogenic genes, including acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation in HepG2 cells.

Results:
LJ markedly attenuated palmitate-induced intracellular lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. LJ suppressed LXRα -dependent SREBP-1c activation, and SREBP-1c mediated induction of ACC, FAS, and SCD-1. Furthermore, LJ activated Nrf2, which plays an important cytoprotective role in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Conclusions:
Our study suggests that LJ has the potential to alleviate hepatic lipid accumulation, and this effect was mediated by inhibiting the LXRα-SREBP-1c pathway that leads to hepatic steatosis. In addition, the anti-lipogenic potential may, at least in part, be associated with activation of Nrf2.

Key words: Laminaria japonica, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, LXRα, SREBP-1c, Nrf2