Yi-Shing Ma¹, Shigeru Yoshida¹, Yu Kobayashi¹, Noriaki Kawanishi¹, Takayuki Furukawa¹, Hirotoshi Fuda¹, Shu-Ping Hui^1,, Hitoshi Chiba¹

Anti-oxidative effects of the Pacific oyster-derived phenolic antioxidant, 3,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl alcohol (DHMBA), has been documented in hepatocytes. Additionally, DHMBA-rich oyster extracts significantly attenuated obesity in a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis mouse model. Whether the administration of DHMBA might improve muscular mitochondrial function was investigated. The mouse C2C12-derived myotubes were loaded with oleic acid (400μM) and cultured for 24 hours in the presence of DHMBA (500μM) with or without electrical stimulation (ES), where ES was given as exercise mimic. The fatty acid uptake, lipid accumulation, and mitochondrial function were subsequently accessed. DHMBA and ES increased fatty acid uptake, TG contents, mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular level of H₂O₂, and mitochondrial O₂ consumption rate. Intracellular ATP content was significantly increased when both DHMBA and ES were loaded at the same time, suggesting their synergic action. Phosphorylated AMPKα, AMPKβ1, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase were increased by DHMBA, indicating a possible role for DHMBA for activation of metabolic adaptation system and consequent increase of fatty acid oxidation. In conclusion, DHMBA solely or in collaboration with exercise might possibly serve as a fitness food for obese persons by stimulating muscular fatty acid utilization and mitochondrial energy production. This assumption must be verified by animal experiment.

fatty acid uptake, polyphenol, mitochondrial respiration, electrical stimulation, C2C12 myotubes