Biochanin A induces a brown-fat phenotype via improvement of mitochondrial biogenesis and activation ofAMPKsignaling in murineC3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells

In this study, we investigated the effect of Biochanin A (BioA), an O-methylated isoflavone on the brown-fat phenotype formation and on the associated thermogenic program including mitochondrial biogenesis and lipolysis in C3H10T1/2 MSCs. Our data demonstrates that Treatment with BioA in an adipogenic differentiation cocktail induced formation of brown-fat-like adipocytes from C3H10T1/2 MSCs without treatment with a known browning inducer (rosiglitazone or T3) at an early stage of differentiation. The formation of brown-fat-like adipocytes by BioA treatment was evidenced by upregulation of key thermogenic markers:Ucp1,Pgc1 alpha,Prdm16, andPpar gamma. BioA also increased the expression of beige (Cd137andFgf21) and brown (Elovl3andZic1)-specific markers. Additionally, BioA treatment promoted mitochondrial biogenesis, judging by the upregulation of genes;Cox8b,Cidea,Dio2,Sirt1,Opa1, andFis1. BioA treatment increased the amount of mitochondrial DNA and its encoded proteins: oxidative phosphorylation complexes (I-V); this change was associated with high oxygen consumption by C3H10T1/2 MSCs. A small-interfering-RNA-induced gene knockdown and experiments with dorsomorphin-driven competitive inhibition revealed that BioA exerts the thermogenic action via activation of AMPK signaling. Our study shows the mechanism of BioA-induced promotion of a brown-fat phenotype. Nonetheless, clinical research is necessary to validate BioA as a brown-fat-like signature inducer.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates that Biochanin A induces the formation of brown-fat-like adipocytes in C3H10T1/2 MSCs, promotes mitochondrial biogenesis, and activates thermogenesis through the AMPK signaling pathway. Further clinical research is needed to validate Biochanin A as an inducer of a brown-fat-like phenotype.