Alternative Methods as Tools for Obesity Research: In Vitro and In Silico Approaches

Abstract

The study of adipogenesis is essential for understanding and treating obesity, a multifactorial problem related to body fat accumulation that leads to several life-threatening diseases, becoming one of the most critical public health problems worldwide. In this review, we propose to provide the highlights of the adipogenesis study based on in vitro differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). We list in silico methods, such as molecular docking for identification of molecular targets, and in vitro approaches, from 2D, more straightforward and applied for screening large libraries of substances, to more representative physiological models, such as 3D and bioprinting models. We also describe the development of physiological models based on microfluidic systems applied to investigate adipogenesis in vitro. We intend to identify the main alternative models for adipogenesis evaluation, contributing to the direction of preclinical research in obesity. Future directions indicate the association of in silico and in vitro techniques to bring a clear picture of alternative methods based on adipogenesis as a tool for obesity research.

Elucidation of Anti-Obesity Mechanisms of Phenolics in Artemisiae argyi Folium (Aiye) by Integrating LC-MS, Network Pharmacology, and Molecular Docking

“…[ 57 , 58 , 59 ]. As for anti-obesity, molecular docking technology is widely applied to evaluate the interaction between compounds and targets by visualizing the intermolecular forces and presenting the binding affinity between compounds and targets [ 60 , 61 , 62 ]. The water-soluble bioactive components presented higher anti-oxidative capacity than nutraceutical mixtures’ lipid-soluble components [ 63 ].…”

Characterization of metabolic phenotypes and distinctive genes in mice with low‐weight gain

“…Obesity has become a global health concern, resulting in an increased demand for new therapeutics and preventative options. To elucidate the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying obesity and metabolism, various approaches have been adopted, including genome‐wide association studies (GWAS), 1,2 omics studies, 3 bioinformatics, 4 cell 5 and animal models, 6 and human cohorts 7 . Generally, obesity is not attributed to a single etiology but rather a complex set of variables, including environmental factors, such as diet 8 and exercise, 9 which are intricately entwined to elicit transcriptional responses that contribute to the development of obesity and metabolic diseases 10 .…”