Quercetin (Q) has rapid metabolism, which may make it worthwhile to focus on the potential activity of its metabolites. Our aim was to evaluate the triglyceride-lowering effects of Q metabolites in mature and pre-adipocytes, and to compare them to those induced by Q. 3T3-L1 mature and pre-adipocytes were treated with 0.1, 1 and 10 µM of Q, tamarixetin (TAM), isorhamnetin (ISO), quercetin-3-O-glucuronide (3G), quercetin-3-O-sulfate (3S), as well as with 3S and quercetin-4-O-sulfate (4S) mixture (3S+4S). Triglyceride (TG) content in both cell types, as well as free fatty acid (FFA) and glycerol in the incubation medium of mature adipocytes were measured spectrophotometrically. Gene expression was assessed by RT-PCR. In mature adipocytes, Q decreased TG at 1 and 10 µM, 3S metabolite at 1 and 10 µM, and 3S+4S mixture at 10 µM. 3S treatment modified the glucose uptake, and TG assembling, but not lipolysis or apoptosis. During differentiation, only 10 µM of ISO reduced TG content, as did Q at physiological doses. In conclusion, 3S metabolite but not ISO, 3G, 4S and TAM metabolites can contribute to the in vivo delipidating effect of Q.
Keywords: Quercetin; adipocytes; metabolites; triglycerides.