Sargaquinoic acid and sargahydroquinoic acid from Sargassum yezoense stimulate adipocyte differentiation through PPARα/γ activation in 3T3-L1 cells

We screened active compounds from natural marine products able to increase PPAR alpha/gamma transcriptional activity. Sargaquinoic acid (SQA) and sargahydroquinoic acid (SHQA) from Sargassum yezoense were identified as novel PPAR alpha/gamma dual agonists. The binding affinity of SQA with PPAR gamma was higher than that of the specific PPAR gamma agonist troglitazone, leading to an activation of PPAR gamma transcriptional activity. In parallel, treatment of 3T3-L1 cells with SQA and SHQA led to an increase in adipocyte differentiation and increased expression of adipogenic marker genes such as aP2, PPAR gamma, resistin, adiponectin, C/EBP alpha and Glut4. Collectively, our data suggest that SQA and SHQA are novel PPAR alpha/gamma dual agonists and may be beneficial for reducing insulin resistance through regulation of adipogenesis.