PINK1–PRKN mitophagy suppression by mangiferin promotes a brown-fat-phenotype via PKA-p38 MAPK signalling in murine C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells

Mangiferin (MF), a xanthonoid derived from Mangifera indica, has shown therapeutic effects on various human diseases including cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Nonetheless, the influence of MF on non-shivering thermogenesis and its underlying mechanism in browning remains unclear. Here, our aim was to investigate the effects of MF on browning and its molecular mechanisms in murine C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).To determine the function of MF on browning, murine C3H10T1/2 MSCs were treated with MF in an adipogenic differentiation cocktail and the thermogenic and correlated metabolic responses were assessed using MF-mediated signalling. Human adipose-derived MSCs were differentiated and treated with MF to confirm its role in thermogenic induction.MF treatment induced the expression of a brown-fat signature, UCP1, and reduced triglyceride (TG) in C3H10T1/2 MSCs. MF also induced the expression of major thermogenesis regulators: PGC1α, PRDM16, and PPARγ and up-regulated the expression of beiging markers CD137, HSPB7, TBX1, and COX2 in both murine C3H10T1/2 MSCs and human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSC). We also observed that MF treatment increased the mitochondrial DNA and improved mitochondrial homeostasis by regulating mitofission-fusion plasticity via suppressing PINK1-PRKN-mediated mitophagy. Furthermore, MF treatment improved mitochondrial respiratory function by increasing mitochondrial oxygen consumption and expression of oxidative-phosphorylation (OXPHOS)-related proteins. Chemical-inhibition and gene knockdown experiments revealed that β3-AR-dependent PKA-p38 MAPK-CREB signalling is crucial for MF-mediated brown-fat formation via suppression of mitophagy in C3H10T1/2 MSCs.MF promotes the brown adipocyte phenotype by suppressing mitophagy, which is regulated by PKA-p38MAPK-CREB signalling in C3H10T1/2 MSCs. Thus, we propose that MF may be a good browning inducer that can ameliorate obesity.