Triterpene-enriched natural extract modulates the expression of metabolic pathways in primary human adipocytes and mouse adipocyte cell lines.

Previous studies have shown that a triterpene-enriched extract of Eucalyptus tereticornis (OBE100), with ursolic acid (UA), oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid lactone (UAL), reduces the expression of genes involved in lipogenesis and enhanced genes expression involved in catabolism in 3T3-L1 cells. The present work aims to analyse the effect of OBE100 and single triterpenes on gene expression in primary human adipocytes and mouse 3T3-L1 adipocyte cell lines.

Differentiated cells were treated with OBE100, UA, OA, UAL or a triterpene mixture (M1). RNA was sequenced using the DNBseq platform and the EnrichR software to perform gene enrichment analysis using the Gene Ontology database, Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes, and Reactome was used. To conduct clustering analysis, we standardised the normalised counts of each gene and applied k-means clustering.

When the expression pattern of differentiated human and mouse adipocytes was compared with the control, 933 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. When comparing the different treatments with the differentiated control, OBE100 generated the most significant change in DEGs. OBE100 generates a negative regulation of the PPAR pathway and metabolism of fatty acids, triglycerides, and ketone bodies. It increases the expression of extracellular matrix genes and the TGF-beta pathway.

These results suggest that the transcriptional effect of OBE100 treatment is higher, inhibiting the expression of genes involved in adipogenesis and extracellular matrix remodelling. On the other hand, it provides valuable information in determining potential action targets in adipocytes treated with a complex mixture of triterpenes.

 

MissingLinkText

Publication History

Article published online:
16 November 2023