Aloe vera phytosterols act as ligands for PPAR and improve the expression levels of PPAR target genes in the livers of mice with diet-induced obesity

Kouji Nomaguchi; Miyuki Tanaka; Eriko Misawa; Muneo Yamada; Tomohiro Toida; Keiji Iwatsuki; Tsuyoshi Goto; Teruo Kawada

doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2011.01.002

Aloe vera phytosterols act as ligands for PPAR and improve the expression levels of PPAR target genes in the livers of mice with diet-induced obesity

Obes Res Clin Pract. 2011 Jul-Sep;5(3):e190–e201. doi: 10.1016/j.orcp.2011.01.002.

Authors

Kouji Nomaguchi¹, Miyuki Tanaka², Eriko Misawa², Muneo Yamada², Tomohiro Toida², Keiji Iwatsuki², Tsuyoshi Goto³, Teruo Kawada³

Affiliations

¹ Functional Food Research Department, Food Science & Technology Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Zama, Japan. Electronic address:k_nomagt@morinagamilk.co.jp.
² Functional Food Research Department, Food Science & Technology Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Zama, Japan.
³ Laboratory of Molecular Function of Food, Division of Food Sciences and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

PMID: 24331101
DOI: 10.1016/j.orcp.2011.01.002

Abstract

Lophenol (Lo) and cycloartanol (Cy), minor phytosterols of Aloe vera gel, were previously identified as anti-diabetic compounds, and these compounds also reduced body fat in a type 2 diabetic model animal. In this study, we investigated the effects of Lo and Cy on peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPAR) using a luciferase reporter assay. DNA microarray and real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR) analyses were also performed in a diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model. The Aloe phytosterols activated PPAR in a dose-dependent manner. The expression levels of many PPAR target genes were changed in the Aloe phytosterol group compared with those in the control high-fat diet (HFD) group. In particular, the expression levels of Fatp1, Acox1, Cpt1, and Hmgcs2 were significantly increased in the Aloe phytosterol group compared with those in the control HFD group; however, the expression level of ApoCIII was significantly decreased in the Aloe phytosterol group. We confirmed that Aloe phytosterols activate PPAR transcription in vitro. In addition, quantitative gene expression analysis in DIO mice suggested that Aloe phytosterols improve fatty acid metabolism in the liver.: