Immunostimulatory activity and anti-obesity activity of Hibiscus manihot leaves in mouse macrophages, RAW264.7 cells and mouse adipocytes, 3T3-L1 cells

Abstract

In this study, we investigated whether Hibiscus manihot leaves (HML) exhibits immune-enhancing activity and anti-obesity in RAW264.7 and 3T3-L1 cells. HML increased the production of inflammatory molecules, cell viability and phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells. TLR2 and TLR4 blocked HML-mediated production of inflammatory molecules in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, the inhibition of MAPK signaling pathway reduced HML-mediated production of inflammatory molecules and the activation of MAPK signaling pathway by HML suppressed the inhibition of TLR2/4. HML reduced the lipid accumulation and TG contents in 3T3-L1 cells. HML inhibited the protein expressions such as CEBPα, PPARγ, perilipin-1, adiponectin and FABP4 related to the lipid accumulation of the mature adipocytes. In addition, HML reduced CEBPα and PPARγ during the differentiation process from preadipocytes to mature adipocytes.

Keywords

• Anti-obesity activity
• Hibiscus manihot
• Immune-enhancing activity
• Macrophages
• Adipocytes