Taurine Activates SIRT1/AMPK/FOXO1 Signaling Pathways to Favorably Regulate Lipid Metabolism in C57BL6 Obese Mice

Abstract

ScopeThe identification of novel therapeutic agents capable of modulating lipid metabolism holds a promising potential in combating obesity and its associated complications. This study is conducted to evaluate the lipid lowering effect of dietary taurine administration on high‐fat fed C57BL6 mice and to study the mechanism by which taurine impacts lipid metabolism.Methods and resultsC57BL6 mice are grouped into four (n = 6): i) normal diet (ND), ii) a high‐fat diet (HFD), iii) HFD + orlistat (STD), iv) HFD + taurine (TAU) group for 12 weeks. The results show that taurine administration for 12 weeks reduces high fat‐induced weight gain, and liver weight when compared with HFD fed mice. It also improves serum biochemical parameters like total cholesterol and triglycerides. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) activity, Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels, SIRT1 mRNA, and protein expression are increased in HFD + TAU diet group as compared to HFD group. Taurine treatment suppresses the expression of lipogenic genes (sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c [SREBP1c], fatty acid synthase [FAS], Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma [PPARγ]) and increases the expression of β‐oxidation (peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor alpha [PPARα], liver x receptor beta [LXRβ], peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma coactivator 1‐alpha [PGC1α], AMP‐activated protein kinase [AMPK]) and lipolytic (forkhead box protein O1 [FOXO1]) genes. Further, taurine mitigates hepatic inflammation by suppressing nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) gene expression and pro‐inflammatory cytokine markers (IL‐6, IL‐1β, and TNFα).ConclusionTaurine exerts lipid lowering effects through activating SIRT1/AMPK/FOXO1 signaling pathways and regulating their downstream targets.