Natural Extracts Abolished Lipid Accumulation in Cells Harbouring non-favourable PNPLA3 genotype.

Background & aims. G-allele of PNPLA3 (rs738409) favours triglycerides accumulation and steatosis. In this study, we examined the effect of quercetin and natural extracts from mushroom and artichoke on reducing lipid accumulation in hepatic cells.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Huh7.5 cells were exposed to oleic acid (OA) and treated with quercetin and extracts to observe the lipid accumulation, the intracellular-TG concentration and the LD size. Sterol regulatory element binding proteins-1 (SREBP-1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARα-γ) and cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) gene expression levels were analysed.

RESULTS: Quercetin decreased the intracellular lipids, LD size and the levels of intracellular-TG through the down-regulation of SREBP-1c, PPARγ and ACAT1 increasing PPARα. The natural-extracts suppressed OA-induced lipid accumulation and the intracellular-TG. They down-regulate the hepatic lipogenesis through SREBP-1c, besides the activation of lipolysis through the increasing of PPARα expression.

CONCLUSIONS: Quercetin and the aqueous extracts decrease intracellular lipid accumulation by down-regulation of lipogenesis and up-regulation of lipolysis.