Fatemeh Jafari1, Seyed Ahmad Emami2, Behjat Javadi3, Zahra Salmasi4, Mona Tayarani-Najjaran5, Zahra Tayarani-Najaran6. 1. Medical Toxicology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: JafariF9@mums.ac.ir. 2. Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: EmamiA@mums.ac.ir. 3. Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: javadib@mums.ac.ir. 4. Nanotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: SalmasiZ@mums.ac.ir. 5. Department of Chemistry, The Graduate Centre of the City New York, New York, USA. Electronic address: mona.tayarani@yahoo.com. 6. Targeted Drug Delivery Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: Tayaraninz@mums.ac.ir.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) has been introduced as a potential promising natural antioxidant with anti-obesity properties. In Persian Medicine, saffron has been used to control appetite and obesity. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study aims to investigate the effect of saffron and its bioactive compounds on adipocyte differentiation in human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Flow-Cytometric analysis was performed to quantify the cell surface markers. The extracts cytotoxicity on hASCs was measured using alamarBlue® assay whereas their activities against adipocyte differentiation were studied using Oil Red O staining. The level of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), Fatty Acid Synthetase (FAS), and Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPHD) which are key proteins in cell differentiation was investigated by western blot analysis. RESULTS: Flow-cytometry revealed the mesenchymal stem cells markers, CD44 and CD90, on ADSCs surface. The saffron, crocin, and crocetin significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation while saffron up to 20 μg/mL and crocin, crocetin and safranal up to 20 μM did not exhibit cytotoxicity. The western blotting analysis revealed a remarkable reduction in the level of PPARγ, GAPDH, and FAS proteins by 10 and 20 μM of crocin and 2.5 and 5 μM of crocetin. CONCLUSION: It seems that saffron, crocin, and crocetin could efficiently inhibit the differentiation of hASCs with benefits for the treatment and prevention of obesity.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) has been introduced as a potential promising natural antioxidant with anti-obesity properties. In Persian Medicine, saffron has been used to control appetite and obesity. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study aims to investigate the effect of saffron and its bioactive compounds on adipocyte differentiation in human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Flow-Cytometric analysis was performed to quantify the cell surface markers. The extracts cytotoxicity on hASCs was measured using alamarBlue® assay whereas their activities against adipocyte differentiation were studied using Oil Red O staining. The level of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), Fatty Acid Synthetase (FAS), and Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPHD) which are key proteins in cell differentiation was investigated by western blot analysis. RESULTS: Flow-cytometry revealed the mesenchymal stem cells markers, CD44 and CD90, on ADSCs surface. The saffron, crocin, and crocetin significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation while saffron up to 20 μg/mL and crocin, crocetin and safranal up to 20 μM did not exhibit cytotoxicity. The western blotting analysis revealed a remarkable reduction in the level of PPARγ, GAPDH, and FAS proteins by 10 and 20 μM of crocin and 2.5 and 5 μM of crocetin. CONCLUSION: It seems that saffron, crocin, and crocetin could efficiently inhibit the differentiation of hASCs with benefits for the treatment and prevention of obesity.