Cocoa and cocoa flavanol epicatechin improve hepatic lipid metabolism in in vivo and in vitro models. Role of PKCζ

Antidiabetic actions of cocoa flavanols

“…Likewise, EC‐induced changes in hepatic lipid content were modulated by AMPK, AKT, and PKC‐ζ. Indeed, EC‐induced AKT and AMPK regulation seemed to be mediated by PKC‐ζ . Similarly, the modulation of miRNA related to liver lipogenesis (upregulation of miR‐30b* and downregulation of miR197) has been observed in HepG2 cells treated with a cocoa proanthocyanidin extract (100 μg/mL) .…”

“…However, in these experimental conditions glutathione‐ S ‐transferase activity remained decreased when compared to control animals (lean rats) . Cocoa‐rich diet also suppressed enhanced total and phosphorylated nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor values, as well as p65‐ NF‐κB levels in ZDF rats , and improved circulating and hepatic lipid profiles (decreased TG, nonesterified fatty acids, T‐Cho, and LDL‐Cho, and increased HDL‐Cho values) . The lipid‐lowering effect was associated to diminished fatty acid synthesis (SREBP1‐c and FAS downregulation), and increased fatty‐acid oxidation (PPARα upregulation) .…”

“…Cocoa‐rich diet also suppressed enhanced total and phosphorylated nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor values, as well as p65‐ NF‐κB levels in ZDF rats , and improved circulating and hepatic lipid profiles (decreased TG, nonesterified fatty acids, T‐Cho, and LDL‐Cho, and increased HDL‐Cho values) . The lipid‐lowering effect was associated to diminished fatty acid synthesis (SREBP1‐c and FAS downregulation), and increased fatty‐acid oxidation (PPARα upregulation) . All these effects were mediated by AMPK, AKT, and PKC‐ζ, which phosphorylated levels returned to control values upon cocoa administration .…”

“…The lipid‐lowering effect was associated to diminished fatty acid synthesis (SREBP1‐c and FAS downregulation), and increased fatty‐acid oxidation (PPARα upregulation) . All these effects were mediated by AMPK, AKT, and PKC‐ζ, which phosphorylated levels returned to control values upon cocoa administration . Similarly, the intake of EC (0.25% in drinking water for 15 weeks, equivalent to 150 mg/kg body weight) prevented fat deposition and degeneration in hepatocytes, and restored p‐AMPK levels .…”

“…Accordingly, the improvement of lipid metabolism could also contribute to prevent or treat DMT2 . In this line, EC (10 μM) alleviated the altered lipid values induced in high‐glucose challenged HepG2 cells by diminishing fatty acid synthesis, by means of decreased de novo key lipogenic proteins such as sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1‐c (SREBP1‐c) and fatty‐acid synthase (FAS), and increasing fatty‐acid oxidation, as peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) α . These regulatory effects could be related to a decrease in hepatic levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (T‐Cho), and nonesterified fatty acids.…”