Celastrol reduces triglyceride level in HepG2 cells by regulating lipid synthesis and oxidation

FENG Ze-min; WAN Xing-yong; YU Chao-hui; LI You-ming

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1007-8134.2018.03.007

Abstract：Objective To investigate the effect of celastrol on triglyceride level in model of nonalcoholic fatty liver cells, and study the underlying mechanisms. Methods CCK-8 assay was used to determine the celastrol concentration in cell model. The levels of TG in HepG2 cells were determined with TG kits. The levels of target molecular protein and mRNA were detected by using Western blot assay and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Results TG levels of celastrol 400 nmol/L, 600 nmol/L, 800 nmol/L and 1000 nmol/L groups were (64.55±1.92) μg/mg, (64.16±2.19) μg/mg, (60.94±2.70) μg/mg, (61.45±1.61) μg/mg, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in palmitic acid group (69.32±1.79) μg/mg (P＜0.05). The expression levels of lipid synthesis-related sterol-regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) were significantly decreased in 600 nmol/L group and 1000 nmol/L group, while peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) expression levels were significantly increased in 600 nmol/L group 1.11±0.09 and 1000 nmol/L group 1.16±0.05 compared with normal control group. The difference was significant compared with palmitic acid group 0.86±0.07 (P＜0.05). Conclusions Celastrol can significantly decrease TG content in HepG2 cells, which may be related to down-regulation of SREBP1c and FAS expression and up-regulation of PPARγ expression.