Atractylenolide III Enhances Energy Metabolism by Increasing the SIRT-1 and PGC1α Expression with AMPK Phosphorylation in C2C12 Mouse Skeletal Muscle Cells

Targeting energy expenditure provides a potential alternative strategy for achieving energy balance to combat obesity and the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In the present study, we investigated whether atractylenolide III (AIII) regulates energy metabolism in skeletal muscle cells. Differentiated C2C12 myotubes were treated with AIII (10, 20, or 50 µM) or metformin (2.5 mM) for indicated times. The levels of glucose uptake, the expressions of key mitochondrial biogenesis-related factors and their target genes were measured in C2C12 myotubes. AIII significantly increased the glucose uptake levels, and significantly increased the expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor coactivator-1α (PGC1α) and mitochondrial biogenesis-related markers, such as, nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and mitochondrial mass and total ATP contents. In addition, AIII significantly increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the expression of sirtuin1 (SIRT1). These results suggest that AIII may have beneficial effects on obesity and T2DM by improving energy metabolism in skeletal muscle.