In addition, we determined the effect of the oral administration of the extract of <i>D. morbifera</i> on obesity and hepatic steatosis in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice.This study proved that <i>D. morbifera</i> containing HOD, the active substance, can show preventive or therapeutic efficacy on obesity and hepatic steatosis through the targeting LKB1/AMPK axis.
The tumor suppressor liver kinase b1 (Lkb1) is a key regulator of cellular energy metabolism; and adipocyte-specific knockout of Lkb1 (Ad-Lkb1 KO) leads to the expansion of BAT, improvements in systemic metabolism and resistance to obesity in young mice.
We demonstrate that vitamin D treatments decreased insulin resistance, reduced leptin, and increased adiponectin signaling and also regulated the LKB1/AMPK pathway contributing to an overall decrease in local estrogen synthesis in the obese mice.
These data suggest that inhibition of Lkb1 or its downstream signalling in adipocytes could be a novel strategy to increase energy expenditure in the context of obesity, diabetes and other metabolic diseases.