Food & functionNov 2, 2017

Star Fruit Extract May Improve Fatty Liver Disease by Changing Key MicroRNAs and Energy Regulation in a Mouse Model of Obesity

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Apr 6, 2026

Abstract

ACF treatment significantly reduced liver triglycerides in leptin receptor-deficient mice (p < 0.05).

ACF may alleviate liver histopathological changes associated with hepatic steatosis.
The reduction in triglycerides is linked to the phosphorylation of AMPK α.
ACF treatment resulted in the down-regulation of SREBP-1c expression.
Decreased levels of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) were observed after ACF treatment.
MicroRNA-34a and microRNA-33, which are involved in regulating lipid synthesis, were significantly down-regulated by ACF.

Simplified

The objective of the present study is to investigate the hepatic steatosis relieving effect of Averrhoa carambola free phenolic extract (ACF) on leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mice and elucidate the modulation hepatic lipogenesis mechanisms. The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) assays, accompanying hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, were applied to identify the alleviation of liver histopathological changes. Serum and hepatic lipid assays, combined with oil red O staining, were used to investigate the amelioration of lipid accumulation. Further assessments by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot assays were used to elucidate the suppression of the fatty acid and triglyceride (TG) synthesis mechanisms underlying ACF protection. These results indicated that ACF treatment significantly reduced the liver TG of db/db mice (p < 0.05). The mechanisms are partly through phosphorylation of AMPK α and down-regulation of SREBP-1c expression, and further down-regulation of FAS and SCD1 (p < 0.05). In addition, the expression levels of mircoRNA-34a and mircoRNA-33, which modulate this signaling pathway, were significantly down-regulated by ACF treatment (p < 0.05). Collectively, these results revealed that ACF exhibited a potent hepatic steatosis relieving effect partly by inhibiting the signal transduction of hepatic lipogenesis.

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Star Fruit Extract May Improve Fatty Liver Disease by Changing Key MicroRNAs and Energy Regulation in a Mouse Model of Obesity

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