Berberine attenuates obesity‐induced insulin resistance by inhibiting miR‐27a secretion

Abstract

IntroductionBerberine (BBR) is an alkaloid found in plants. It has neuroprotective, anti‐inflammatory and lipid‐lowering activity. However, the efficacy of treatment with BBR and the mechanisms through which it acts need further study.AimsThis study investigated the therapeutic effects and the mechanism of action of BBR on obesity‐induced insulin resistance in peripheral tissues.MethodsHigh‐fat‐fed C57BL/6J mice and low‐fat‐fed C57BL/6J mice with miR‐27a overexpression were given BBR intervention (100 mg/kg, po), and the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT) were performed. Palmitic acid‐stimulated hypertrophic adipocyte models were treated with BBR (10 μM). Related indicators and protein expression levels were examined.ResultsThe AUCs of the OGTT and the ITT in the BBR intervention group were reduced significantly (p < 0.01) (p < 0.05), and the serum biochemical parameters, including FBG, TC, TG and LDL‐C were significantly reduced after BBR intervention. In the in vitro experiments, the triglyceride level and volume of lipid droplets decreased significantly after BBR intervention (p < 0.01) (p < 0.05). Likewise, BBR ameliorates skeletal muscle and pancreas insulin signalling pathways in vivo and in vitro.DiscussionThe results showed that BBR significantly ameliorated insulin resistance, reduced body weight and percent body fat and improved serum biochemical parameters in mice. Likewise, BBR reduced triglyceride level and lipid droplet volume in hypertrophic adipocytes, BBR improved obesity effectively. Meanwhile, BBR ameliorated the histomorphology of the pancreas, and skeletal muscle and pancreas insulin related signalling pathways of islets in in vitro and in vivo experiments. The results further demonstrated that BBR inhibited miR‐27a levels in serum from obese mice and supernatant of hypertrophic adipocytes. miR‐27a overexpression in low‐fat fed mice indicated that miR‐27a caused insulin resistance, and BBR intervention significantly improved the miR‐27a induced insulin resistance status.ConclusionThis study demonstrates the important role of BBR in obesity‐induced peripheral insulin resistance and suggest that the mechanism of its effect may be inhibition of miR‐27a secretion.

Red Oranges and Olive Leaf Waste-Derived Bioactive Extracts Promote Adipocyte Functionality In Vitro

“…FATP1 exhibits high expression levels in hormone-sensitive tissues, such as WAT, where insulin is required for FATP1 to facilitate fatty acid (FA) uptake. FATP4 facilitates FA uptake not just in insulin-sensitive tissues but also in insulin-insensitive tissues [ 48 , 49 , 50 ], as in the case of our experimental condition, in which the widely renowned model of PA-induced insulin resistance determines the reduction of FATP levels. Impaired lipid trafficking caused by PA was recovered by the OLE and COMBO treatments, which were able to restore both FATP1–4 levels compared to the PA-challenged group, suggesting their potential in maintaining basal adipocyte lipid import.…”