Ursolic acid is a PPAR-α agonist that regulates hepatic lipid metabolism

Yaoyao Jia, Muhammad Javidul Haque Bhuiyan, Hee Jin Jun, Ji Hae Lee, Minh Hien Hoang, Hak Ju Lee, Nahyun Kim, Dongho Lee, Kwang Yeon Hwang, Bang Yeon Hwang, Dal Woong Choi, Sung Joon Lee

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    85 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    In this study, we confirmed that ursolic acid, a plant triterpenoid, activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α in vitro. Surface plasmon resonance and time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer analyses do not show direct binding of ursolic acid to the ligand-binding domain of PPAR-α; however, ursolic acid enhances the binding of PPAR-α to the peroxisome proliferator response element in PPAR-α-responsive genes, alters the expression of key genes in lipid metabolism, significantly reducing intracellular triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in hepatocytes. Thus, ursolic acid is a PPAR-α agonist that regulates the expression of lipid metabolism genes, but it is not a direct ligand of PPAR-α.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)5876-5880
    Number of pages5
    JournalBioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters
    Volume21
    Issue number19
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2011 Oct 1

    Bibliographical note

    Funding Information:
    This study was supported by the Korean Forest Service (Forest Science & Technology Project No. S120909L130110) and by the Technology Development Program for Fisheries of the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea (iPET, F20926409H220000110). The SPR instrument was provided by Korea Basic Science Institute.

    Keywords

    • Agonist
    • Hepatocyte
    • Lipid metabolism
    • PPAR-α
    • Ursolic acid

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Biochemistry
    • Molecular Medicine
    • Molecular Biology
    • Pharmaceutical Science
    • Drug Discovery
    • Clinical Biochemistry
    • Organic Chemistry

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