SONGKLANAKARIN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Volume 42, No. 05, Month SEPTEMBER, Year 2020, Pages 1053 - 1058

Role of gaba and its receptors in anti-adipogenesis in cultured adipocytes

Kanittaporn Trisat , Saowalak Yomlar and Nanteetip Limpeanchob

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Health benefits of GABA and GABA-enriched foods via anti-obesity activity have been demonstrated in animals. However, the functional roles of GABA especially as non-neurotransmitter in adipocytes have not been thoroughly clarified. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of GABA on adipogenesis and lipolysis using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Oil Red O staining was used to assess lipid accumulation and glycerol release was determined as an indicator of lipolysis. The results showed that treatment with GABA (100-500 μM) during adipocyte maturation decreased lipid accumulation by 20-30%. GABA clearly induced the release of glycerol in a dose-dependent manner within 4 h of treatment, and GABA at 500 μM increased glycerol release about two-fold relative to control. GABA-mediated lipolysis depended on both GABA-A and GABA-B receptors as well as on β-adrenergic receptors. The findings suggest that GABA exhibits non-neuronal functions by promoting lipolysis and by suppressing fat accumulation in adipocytes, which potentially support anti-obesity activity of GABA and GABA-enriched products.

Keywords

GABA, GABA receptor, adipogenesis, lipolysis, adipocyte

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