Luteolin inhibits adipogenic differentiation by regulating PPARγ activation

Luteolin (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone), a flavonoid, has been known to possess antimutagenic, antitumorigenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we investigated the role of luteolin in the regulation of adipogenic differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Luteolin inhibited intracellular triglyceride accumulation in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that this inhibition was accompanied by attenuated expression of the adipogenic transcription factors: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha. Luteolin inhibited the PPAR gamma transactivation stimulated by rosiglitazone, a synthetic agonist, in COS-7 cells and inhibited rosiglitazone-induced adipogenic differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. These data suggest that luteolin exerts antiadipogenic effects by suppressing adipogenic transcription factors and by inhibiting the transactivation of PPAR gamma.