Cited by 51Natural Compounds in Disease TreatmentAdipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic DiseasesAdipose Tissue and Metabolism

Celastrol attenuates inflammatory responses in adipose tissues and improves skeletal muscle mitochondrial functions in high fat diet-induced obese rats via upregulation of AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathways

Abu Bakar, Mohamad Hafizi, Shariff, Khairul Anuar, Tan, Joo Shun, Lee, Lai Kuan·2020·European Journal of Pharmacology

Abstract

Accumulating evidence indicates that adipose tissue inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle are inextricably linked to obesity and insulin resistance. Celastrol, a bioactive compound derived from the root of Tripterygium wilfordii exhibits a number of attributive properties to attenuate metabolic dysfunction in various cellular and animal disease models. However, the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of celastrol in the obesogenic environment in vivo remain elusive. Therefore, the current study investigated the metabolic effects of celastrol on insulin sensitivity, inflammatory response in adipose tissue and mitochondrial functions in skeletal muscle of the high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats. Our study revealed that celastrol supplementation at 3 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks significantly reduced the final body weight and enhanced insulin sensitivity of the HFD-fed rats. Celastrol noticeably improved insulin-stimulated glucose uptake activity and increased expression of plasma membrane GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle. Moreover, celastrol-treated HFD-fed rats showed attenuated inflammatory responses via decreased NF-κB activity and diminished mRNA expression responsible for classically activated macrophage (M1) polarization in adipose tissues. Significant improvement of muscle mitochondrial functions and enhanced antioxidant defense machinery via restoration of mitochondrial complexes I + III linked activity were effectively exhibited by celastrol treatment. Mechanistically, celastrol stimulated mitochondrial biogenesis attributed by upregulation of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) signaling pathways. Together, these results further demonstrate heretofore the conceivable therapeutic mechanisms of celastrol in vivo against HFD-induced obesity mediated through attenuation of inflammatory response in adipose tissue and enhanced mitochondrial functions in skeletal muscle.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173371

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Authors
Abu Bakar, M. H., Shariff, K. A., Tan, J. S., & Lee, L. K.
Affiliations
Universiti Sains Malaysia (MY)
Venue
European Journal of Pharmacology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-09
Volume
883
Pages
173371
ISSN
0014-2999 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3045130504
Cited by
51
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 7
FWCI
7.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • European Journal of Pharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • The World Academy of Sciences
  • Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia (203/PTEKIND/6711820, FRGS/1/2019/SKK08/USM/02/1)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Natural Compounds in Disease Treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
Keywords
celastrol, Tripterygium wilfordii, high-fat diet-induced obesity, adipose tissue inflammation, skeletal muscle mitochondrial function, AMPK/SIRT1 signaling, insulin sensitivity, NF-κB, M1 macrophage polarization, mitochondrial biogenesis, antioxidant defense, insulin resistance
MeSH terms
Adipose Tissue, Animals, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Organelle Biogenesis, Blood Glucose, Disease Models, Animal, Insulin Resistance, Macrophage Activation, Macrophages, Male, Mitochondria, Muscle, Obesity, Signal Transduction, Panniculitis, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Muscle, Skeletal, Inflammation Mediators, Anti-Obesity Agents, Pentacyclic Triterpenes, AMP-Activated Protein Kinases, Sirtuin 1, Diet, High-Fat

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