Elucidation of the Metabolic and Transcriptional Responses of an Oriental Herbal Medicine, Bangpungtongseong-san, to Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Abstract

Bangpungtongseong-san (BT), an oriental herbal medicine, is used to treat obesity in Korea and East Asia and its antiobesity effects have been examined by several researchers. However, the molecular mechanisms of the antihepatic steatosis effects of BT are unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of BT on obesity, particularly nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, by analyzing metabolic and transcriptional responses using mRNA-sequencing profiles. C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or HFD + BT (1.5%, w/w, BT) for 12 weeks. Phenotype characteristics were estimated, and the antiobesity mechanism was examined using mRNA sequencing transcriptomic profiles in HFD-induced obese mice. BT treatment ameliorated dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis in HFD-induced obese mice and reduced body weight gain. The levels of hepatic lipotoxicity markers were significantly decreased, while hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities were augmented by BT compared with in the HFD group. BT attenuated HFD-induced fatty liver through transcriptional changes in the liver. BT treatment downregulated mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation-related genes in the liver, suggesting improved mitochondrial function. BT treatment also decreased the hepatic fibrosis-related transcriptome. Our findings provide insight into the antiobesity effects of BT, an alternative oriental medicine, for treating obesity-related conditions. Metabolic and transcriptional responses to diet-induced obesity with BT treatment improved liver function.