Chrysin induces brown fat–like phenotype and enhances lipid metabolism in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

• Chrysin induces browning and regulates lipid metabolism of 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
• Chrysin induces brown fat phenotype via AMP-activated protein kinase-mediated pathway.
• Our research suggests that chrysin has a dual modulatory role in inducing the brown-like phenotype as well as inhibition of adipogenesis.
• Chrysin shows potential to be used as food additive for the prevention of obesity.

ObjectivesMany studies have to do with promising therapeutic phytochemicals such as flavonoids to treat obesity and related complications, and a number of dietary compounds have been proposed as tools for increasing energy expenditure and decreasing fat accumulation in mammals. Here, we show that the flavonoid chrysin induces browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes via enhanced expression of brown fat–specific genes and proteins as well as enhances lipid metabolism.MethodsChrysin-induced fat browning was investigated by determining expression levels of brown fat–specific genes and proteins by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunoblot analysis, respectively.ResultsChrysin enhanced expression of brown fat–specific markers and increased protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)α, PPARγ, PPARδ, phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase, hormone sensitive lipase, perilipin, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-1 alpha (PGC-1α), and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1), suggesting its possible role in augmentation of lipolysis, fat oxidation, and thermogenesis as well as reduction of lipogenesis. Increased expression of UCP-1 and other brown fat–specific markers was possibly mediated by chrysin-induced activation of AMPK based on the fact that inhibition of AMPK by dorsomorphin abolished expression of PR domain-containing 16, UCP-1, and PGC-1α while the activator 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide elevated expression of these brown marker proteins.ConclusionOur findings suggest that chrysin plays a dual modulatory role in the form of inducing the brown-like phenotype as well as enhancing lipid metabolism and thus may be explored as a potentially promising food additive for prevention of obesity.