eng Science and Education Publishing Journal of Food and Nutrition Research 2333-1240 2019-06-10 7 6 447 451 10.12691/jfnr-7-6-6 JFNR2019766 article Jen-Yin Chen 1 2 Chin-Chen Chu 2 Shih-Ying Chen 3 Heuy-Ling Chu 4 Pin-Der Duh ipdduh@mail.cnu.edu.tw 4 Department of Senior Citizen Service Management, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Taiwan, ROC Department of Health and Nutrition, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC Department of Food Science and Technology, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, 60 Erh-Jen Road, Section 1, Pao-An, Jen-Te District, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC Betanin, a natural pigment that presents ubiquitously in plants, has been reported to show biological effects. However, not much is known on the effectiveness of betanin in regulating fat accumulation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the inhibitory effect of betanin on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and its mechanism action. The results show betanin significantly inhibited oil red O-stained material (OROSM) and triglyceride levels in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, indicating betanin inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In addition, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) expression was significantly inhibited in the betanin-treated adipocytes, implying that betanin suppressed the cellular PPARγexpression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Moreover, the suppression of lipid accumulation by betanin occurred by decreasing the gene expression of PPARγ, CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα) and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c). Taken together, these findings suggest betanin may be a mediator of adipocyte accumulation, leading to the inhibition of lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and betanin is therefore potentially useful for designing new antiadipogenic agent. http://pubs.sciepub.com/jfnr/7/6/6/jfnr-7-6-6.pdf adipogenesis betanin gene expression lipogenesis lipid accumulation