AMPK signaling is key to medicarpin's promotion of brown and beige fat formation

Medicarpin (Med) was identified as a small-molecule inducer of adipocyte differentiation among 854 candidates.

• Med induced the expression of several brown-adipocyte commitment markers, including Bmp7, Pparγ, Prdm16, and Pgc-1α.
• The treatment with Med led to an increased expression of the thermogenic marker uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and other specific markers of brown and beige fat.
• Med significantly reduced the expression of markers associated with white fat.
• The treatment promoted the formation of multilocular lipid droplets and increased the expression of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis.
• Med treatment also resulted in increased oxygen consumption.
• Activation of the AMPK pathway was linked to the development of brown- and beige-adipocyte characteristics in the studied cells.

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