Abstract:Fatty liver disease is characterized by the accumulation of triglycerides and other fats in the liver cells and is believed to be a risk of later chronic liver disease. Diet is one of the key ways to treat fatty liver disease. Octopus (Enterocopus dofleini) liver is eaten in some regions in Japan, but mostly discarded. For utilization of octopus liver, the lipidlowering effect of octopus (Enterocopus dofleini) liver extract was investigated using human hepatoma cells (HepG2 cells). The present study showed that the octopus liver extract reduced the triglyceride content, but not cholesterol content, in HepG2 cells. Treatment with the octopus liver extract increased the mRNA expression of genes for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α, medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD), and acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) associated with β-oxidation. On the contrary, the extract did not change the mRNA expression of genes for sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD)-1, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ involved in fatty acid synthesis. These results suggest that octopus liver extract may decrease the triglyceride level in HepG2 cells by promoting β-oxidation, suggestive of its usefulness as a food for lowering triglycerides in liver.