Dihydromyricetin contributes to weight loss via pro-browning mediated by mitochondrial fission in white adipose

Dihydromyricetin (DHM) is a natural bioactive flavonoid extracted from Ampelopsis Grossedentata, a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine. It has multiple beneficial pharmacological effects including lowering blood glucose and lipid, as well as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation and hepato-protection. In this study, we elucidated its actions on mitochondrial dynamics and browning of white adipose. In the experiments in vivo, six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed with normal diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), or HFD with intragastric administration of DHM (250 mg/kg.d-1); in the experiments in vitro, 3T3-L1 and mouse primary preadipocytes were induced and treated with various concentrations of DHM. The mouse metabolic phenotype, lipid accumulation, the browning and mitochondrial dynamics of white adipocytes were examined. It was found that DHM treatment reduced body weight and fat mass, improved glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and cold tolerance in mice with obesity. DHM treatment increased the expressions of classical brown adipocyte markers (UCP-1, PGC-1α, PRDM16) and mitochondrial dynamics-related proteins (DRP1, FIS1, OPA1, MFN2) in adipose tissue. Likewise, DHM treatment induced the differentiation of mature 3T3-L1 cells into brown-like adipocytes and also enhanced the expressions of mitochondrial dynamics-related proteins in vitro. Moreover, the pro-browning effect of DHM can be abrogated by mitochondrial fission inhibitor Mdivi-1. These findings indicate that DHM treatment induces the browning-remodeling of white adipose by enhancing mitochondrial fission and manifests an anti-obesity property via pro-browning mediated by mitochondrial fission, which implies it may play important roles in prevention and therapy of obesity and related diseases.