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2005
LSU-HHMI Summer Undergraduate Research Program |
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Bryant Boyd and Jacqueline Stephens, Biological Sciences
The Effects of Botanicals on Adipogenesis
Obesity is the primary disease of fat cells and a major risk factor for the development of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension. Obesity and its related disorders result in dysregulation of the mechanisms that control the differentiation and expression of genes in adipocytes. Currently, botanicals are used to treat a variety of pathological conditions. However, most botanicals are not regulated by the FDA and their ?over-the-counter? use has not been extensively studied by scientists. Therefore, the NIH has awarded funds for five centers of excellence in the country to study the effects of botanicals for the treatment of various diseases. Through funds obtained via the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, we are screening a large number of botanical extracts. Our goal is to determine if these compounds affect adipogenesis. We have used the 3T3-L1 cells to examine the effects of over 50 botanical extracts on fat cell differentiation. We have examined lipid accumulation by performing Oil Red O staining and examined adipocyte marker gene expression by performing Western blot analysis. The eventual goal of our screening efforts is to identify compounds that will be used to test in vivo and used for the development of a drug for the treatment of metabolic diseases. Our studies have identified at least one botanical that enhances adipogenesis and several that attenuate fat cell differentiation. Hence, our results demonstrate that some botanical extracts can modulate fat cell differentiation. Further characterization of these candidate botanicals will provide a strong foundation for in vivo studies that may lead to the development of a drug for use in the treatment of metabolic diseases.
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