Yonsei Med J.  2023 Apr;64(4):243-250. 10.3349/ymj.2022.0354.

Umbelliferone Ameliorates Hepatic Steatosis and Lipid-Induced ER Stress in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea
  • 2Research Institute of Metabolism and Inflammation, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea
  • 3Astrogen Inc, Daegu, Korea
  • 4East Coast Life Sciences Institute, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
Among the characteristics of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hepatic steatosis is due to excessive fat accumulation and causes liver damage and lipotoxicity, which are associated with insulin resistance, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and apoptosis. Umbelliferone (UMB) has various powerful pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the mechanism of action in hepatic steatosis and lipid-induced ER stress is still unclear. Thus, the efficacy of UMB in hepatic steatosis and palmitate (PA)-induced hepatocellular lipotoxicity was evaluated in the present study.
Materials and Methods
Male C57BL/6J mice (n=40) were divided into four groups: regular diet (RD), UMB-supplemented RD, high-fat diet (HFD), and UMB-supplemented HFD. All mice were fed orally for 12 weeks. In addition, the effects of UMB on lipotoxicity were investigated in AML12 cells treated with PA (250 μM) for 24 h; Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the changes in ER stress and apoptotic-associated proteins.
Results
Administration with UMB in HFD-fed mice reduced lipid accumulation and hepatic triglyceride (TG) as well as serum insulin and glucose levels. In AML12 cells, UMB treatment reduced lipid accumulation as indicated by decreases in the levels of lipogenesis markers, such as SREBP1, FAS, PPAR-γ, and ADRP. Furthermore, UMB reduced both oxidative stress and ER stress-related cellular apoptosis.
Conclusion
UMB supplementation ameliorated hepatic steatosis and improved insulin resistance by inhibiting lipid accumulation and regulating ER stress. These findings strongly suggest that UMB may be a potential therapeutic compound against NAFLD.

Keyword

Umbelliferone; hepatic steatosis; insulin resistance; lipotoxicity; ER stress
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