Effect of Green Tea Extract on Systemic Metabolic Homeostasis in Diet-Induced Obese Mice Determined via RNA-Seq Transcriptome Profiles

Abstract

Green tea (GT) has various health effects, including anti-obesity properties. However, the multiple molecular mechanisms of the effects have not been fully determined. The aim of this study was to elucidate the anti-obesity effects of GT via the analysis of its metabolic and transcriptional responses based on RNA-seq profiles. C57BL/6J mice were fed a normal, high-fat (60% energy as fat), or high-fat + 0.25% (w/w) GT diet for 12 weeks. The GT extract ameliorated obesity, hepatic steatosis, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance in diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice. GT supplementation resulted in body weight gain reduction than mice fed high-fat through enhanced energy expenditure, and reduced adiposity. The transcriptome profiles of epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) suggested that GT augments transcriptional responses to the degradation of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), as well as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling, which suggests enhanced energy homeostasis. Our findings provide some significant insights into the effects of GT for the prevention of obesity and its comorbidities. We demonstrated that the GT extract contributed to the regulation of systemic metabolic homeostasis via transcriptional responses to not only lipid and glucose metabolism, but also amino acid metabolism via BCAA degradation in the adipose tissue of DIO mice.

Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Obesity: An Overview of Scientific Evidence from 2007 to 2017

“…Green tea induces weight loss in a variety of ways, such as activating the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related-factor-2 (Nrf2) pathway [ 72 ], upregulation of neprilysin [ 73 ], prevention of gut dysbiosis [ 74 ], regulating metabolic balance in the body, inhibiting fat accumulation and cholesterol synthesis, and reducing abdominal fat. Choi et al [ 48 ] found that administration of an HFD plus 0.25% (w/w) green tea extract for 12 weeks in diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice ameliorated obesity, hepatic steatosis, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. Green tea extract contributed to the regulation of systemic metabolic homeostasis via transcriptional responses to lipid, glucose, and amino acid metabolism.…”

Green Tea Polyphenols Modulate Colonic Microbiota Diversity and Lipid Metabolism in High‐Fat Diet Treated HFA Mice

“…Tea polyphenols contain anthocyanins, flavonoids, flavonols, and phenolic acids. Extracts from green tea can affect weight loss (Bitzer, Elias, Vijay‐Kumar, & Lambert, ; Choi et al., ) and counter diabetes in humans and mice models (Klaus, Pültz, Thöne‐Reineke, & Wolfram, ; Nagao et al., ). TP can also decrease blood pressure, cholesterol, and atherosclerosis (Chyu et al., ; Mukhtar & Ahmad, ; Potenza et al., ) and help maintain gastrointestinal health by promoting the growth of Bifidobacterium and inhibiting pathogens such as Salmonella and Helicobacter pylori (van Duynhoven et al., ; Yiannakopoulou, ).…”

Health Functions and Related Molecular Mechanisms of Tea Components: An Update Review

“…Some results from in vivo studies have provided significant insights into the effects of tea for the prevention of obesity and related comorbidities like metabolic syndromes. Choi et al reported that green tea extracts could ameliorate obesity, hepatic steatosis, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance in diet-induced obese mice [156]. Supplementation of tea extract resulted in reduced body weight gain and adiposity through enhancing energy expenditure.…”