Adipocyte differentiation (adipogenesis) is a crucial process that determines the total number and size of mature adipocytes that will develop. In this study, the anti-adipogenic effect of sulforaphene (SFEN), a dietary isothiocyanate (ITC) derived from radish, is investigated both in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes and in human adipose tissue-derived stem cells. The results revealed that SFEN significantly inhibit adipogenic cocktail-induced adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation at the early stage of adipogenesis. Additionally, the effects are more potent compared to those of other ITCs derived from various cruciferous vegetables. As a related molecular mechanism of action, SFEN promotes the post-translational degradation of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) β by decreasing the stability of C/EBPβ, which is responsible for decreasing the expression of master regulatory proteins such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and C/EBPα. Collectively, these results suggest that the intake of SFEN-enriched natural materials could be helpful as a strategy for preventing obesity.
Keywords: CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta; adipogenesis; obesity; post-translational degradation; sulforaphene.