Fig. 2

Lipid accumulation and adipocyte differentiation involved in AMPK activation in viscothionin-treated 3T3-L1 cells. a Cells were pre-treated with compound C (20 μM) for 1 h, then treated with 5 μM of viscothionin from days 0 to 8. On day 8, completely differentiated cells were stained with Oil Red O. Intracellular lipid droplets were stained with Oil Red O and observed at magnification 100×. To quantify lipid accumulation, lipid droplets were eluted with isopropanol and optical absorbance measured at 540 nm. b Compound C counteracted the viscothionin-mediated suppression of the intracellular triglyceride levels of 3T3-L1 cells. c, d SREBP-1 and FAS gene expression in 3T3-L1 cells as examined by real-time RT-PCR. Data are represented as mean ± SEM of three different preparations. ***p < 0.001, as compared with control. ^##p < 0.01, and ^###p < 0.001, as compared with only DMI.  ⁺⁺p < 0.01, as compared with DMI + viscothionin 5 μM