N-Acetylcysteine Inhibits Lipids Production in Mature Adipocytes through the Inhibition of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor
Daniela Soto
Departamento de Quimica Biologica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactasy Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Guiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
Claudia Martini
Departamento de Quimica Biologica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactasy Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Guiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
Evelyn Frontera
Departamento de Ciencias Basicas, Universidad Nacional de Lujan, Avenida Constitucion y Ruta 5, Lujan 6700, Argentina.
Laura Montaldo
Departamento de Ciencias Basicas, Universidad Nacional de Lujan, Avenida Constitucion y Ruta 5, Lujan 6700, Argentina.
Maria C. Vila
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales - Instituto de Quimica Biologica (IQUIBICEN), CONICET- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Guiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
Juan C. Calvo
Departamento de Quimica Biologica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactasy Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Guiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina and Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
Liliana N. Guerra *
Departamento de Quimica Biologica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactasy Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Guiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina, Departamento de Ciencias Basicas, Universidad Nacional de Lujan, Avenida Constitucion y Ruta 5, Lujan 6700, Argentina and Instituto Nacional de Ecologia y Desarrollo Sustentable (INEDES), CONICET – Universidad Nacional de Lujan, Avenida Constitucion y Ruta 5, Lujan 6700, Argentina.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: Reports regarding the effects of antioxidants in obesity have been contradictory. Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine is usually considered a nutritional supplement. Our aim is to evaluate bioactivity of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on mature adipocytes, which is a close model to in vivo condition.
Study Design: In vitro study.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Basic Science (Universidad Nacional de Lujan), Department of Chemical Biology (Universidad de Buenos Aires), CONICET – INEDES and CONICET – IQUIBICEN, between March 2017 and June 2019.
Methodology: We evaluated the bioactivity of different concentrations of NAC for 5 days (0.01 mM to 5 mM) on fully differentiated 3T3-L1 cells (mature adipocytes).
Results: We demonstrated that NAC treatment was not toxic to mature adipocytes. Only 5mM NAC inhibited reactive oxygen species production. 5 mM NAC treatment resulted in a 60% decrease in cellular triglycerides content and inhibited 70% cholesterol accumulation. We also determined the mRNA and protein expression levels of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor g as well as, mRNA levels of lipid protein Perilipin in NAC treated adipocytes; we observed that 5mM NAC treatment caused nearly 30% decrease in the expression of these parameters.
Conclusion: These results suggest that NAC could avoid lipid accumulation in mature adipocytes; the antioxidant NAC could be beneficial in obesity treatment.
Keywords: Antioxidants, obesity, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma.