Anthocyanin-Containing Purple Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) Synbiotic Yogurt Inhibited 3T3-L1 Adipogenesis by Suppressing White Adipocyte-Specific Genes

Abstract

Purpose

We unravel the effect of anthocyanin-containing purple sweet potato synbiotic yogurt (PSPY) on 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and its fundamental molecular mechanisms.

Methods

Molecular docking simulation was performed to observe and identify the affinity and interaction between bioactive compounds and targeted proteins. MDI (isobutylmethylxanthine, dexamethasone, and insulin)-containing medium, a cocktail that stimulates adipogenesis, was used in this study. The toxic effect possibility of the yogurt product was evaluated using 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2.5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. A 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, and 5% (v/v) plain or purple sweet potato yogurt supernatant was given to 3T3-L1 preadipocyte culture medium from 24 h after seeding until day 11 of MDI-induced differentiation. The mRNA expression and lipid accumulation were analyzed using RT-qPCR and Oil red O staining, respectively, on day 11 after differentiation induction.

Results

In silico study suggested that anthocyanin-derived compounds have the potential to inhibit peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), a master regulator for white adipogenesis. Anthocyanin-containing PSPY significantly suppressed the expression of Pparg, Adipoq, Slc2a4, and Pgc1a. PSPY significantly suppressed Pparg with 1% and 5% concentrations, while with a concentration of 0.25%, PSPY significantly suppressed Adipoq expression as compared to control. Significant inhibition of Slc2a4 and Pgc1a was observed starting from a 0.25% concentration of PSPY. The suppression of adipogenic genes was also observed with the treatment of plain yogurt; however, the effects were relatively lower than the PSPY. The group treated with 1% and 5% of PSPY also showed inhibition effects on lipid accumulation.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated PSPY inhibition effect on white adipocyte differentiation through suppression of Pparg and its downstream genes, Adipoq and Slc2a4, indicating the potential of this yogurt as a functional food for obesity management and prevention.

Keywords:

• adipocyte differentiation
• anthocyanin
• Pparg
• purple sweet potato synbiotic yogurt

Acknowledgments

This study was conducted at Microbiology, Cell Culture, and Molecular Genetics Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia. We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Afiat Berbudi for the kind gift of the 3T3-L1 cell line and Tenny Putri, Nurul Qomarila, Nurul Setia Rahayu, and Erlina Widiarsih for their technical assistance.

Author Contributions

All the authors made substantial contributions to the design, conducting research, acquisition of data, and data analysis; took part in drafting the article or critically revising for important intellectual content. All authors agreed to submit to this journal, given final approval of the version to be published and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan), Indonesia (Grant number: PRJ-51/LPDP/2019). This research was also supported by The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Indonesia, and Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia.