Effects of two triterpenoids from Nigella sativa seeds on insulin resistance of 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Jinfeng Wei; Baoguang Wang; Yixiao Chen; Qiuyi Wang; Adel F Ahmed; Lili Cui; Xuefeng Xi; Wenyi Kang

doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.995550

Effects of two triterpenoids from Nigella sativa seeds on insulin resistance of 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Front Nutr. 2022 Aug 23:9:995550. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.995550. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Jinfeng Wei^{1

2}, Baoguang Wang¹, Yixiao Chen¹, Qiuyi Wang¹, Adel F Ahmed^{1

3}, Lili Cui¹, Xuefeng Xi^{1

4}, Wenyi Kang^{1

5}

Affiliations

¹ National R&D Center for Edible Fungus Processing Technology, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.
² Shenzhen Research Institute of Henan University, Shenzhen, China.
³ Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Researches Department, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt.
⁴ College of Physical Education, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.
⁵ Joint International Research Laboratory of Food & Medicine Resource Function, Kaifeng, China.

Abstract

Insulin resistance (IR) is a physiological abnormality that occurs when insulin fails to activate the signal transduction pathway in target organs. It was found that supplementation of Nigella sativa seeds with oral antidiabetic medicines helps improve blood glucose control by enhanced β cells activity and alleviation of IR. However, the activities and related mechanisms of phytochemicals from N. sativa seeds have not been thoroughly explored. In this study, the effects of two triterpenoids, 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranose-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnose-(1→2)-α-L-arabinose]-28-O-[α-L-rhamnose-(1→4)-β-D-glucopyranose-L-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranose]-hederagenin (Hxrarg) and 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranose-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnose-(1→2)-α-L-arabinose]-hederagenin (Hxra), on IR were studied by 3T3-L1 adipocytes model. The results demonstrated that Hxrarg and Hxra inhibited maturation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, dramatically stimulated glucose uptake of IR-3T3-L1 adipocytes, promoted transcription of IRS, AKT, PI-3K, and GLUT4 mRNA. Western Blot results suggested that Hxrarg and Hxra were able to markedly up-regulate expression of p-IRS, p-AKT, PI-3K, and GLUT4 proteins. These findings could provide a basic foundation for the continued development and application of N. sativa in medicine and functional foods.

Keywords: 3T3-L1 cells; IRS/AKT/PI-3K; Nigella sativa seeds; insulin resistance; triterpenoids.