Abundant Active Ingredients of Green Tea Regulate Glucose Metabolism in 3T3-L1 Cell Line

Adipose tissue has a crucial role involving in regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism dysfunction of adipose tissue can disrupted glucose and lipid regulation process which both are a hill marks of obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Recently, green tea and its abundant active compounds showed several potential health benefits including amelioration this impairment, however, the mechanism of this effect is not yet fully understood. Therefore, the effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin (EC), and epicatechin gallate (ECG) on glucose uptake and utilisation in 3T3-L1 (adipocyte), and the possible mechanism of this impact were determined. Glucose uptake in the presence of adenosine 5’-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and protein kinase B (Akt) inhibitors, triglyceride and glycerol released, cell viability, and metabolic gene expression were investigated. Selected green tea compounds significantly increased glucose uptake without alteration cell viability, and this biological changing was suppressed by additive Akt inhibitor molecule. A remarkable reduction in cellular triglyceride and glycerol released were seen, which suggesting the compounds suppressed adipogenesis and lipolysis, however measurement of adipogenic and lipolysis gene expression showed no significant alteration. In conclusion, these active compounds of green tea could regulate glucose and lipid metabolism through activating phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt possibly its downstream signalling, and therefore could be a potential anti-obesity and anti-diabetic agent.