目的探讨啤酒花提取物对原代棕色脂肪细胞增殖和功能的影响及潜在机制,为2型糖尿病和肥胖症的治疗提供新依据。方法体外培养新生鼠棕色脂肪前体细胞,添加不同质量浓度啤酒花提取物,用MTT法检测细胞的增殖;诱导分化成熟后,用油红O染色以染色比色法分析细胞脂滴消耗程度;采用Western blotting技术检测相关蛋白表达水平,包括解耦联蛋白1(UCP1)、p38α丝裂原激活蛋白激酶(p38αMAPK)、过氧化物酶体增殖活化受体γ辅助活化因子1α(PGC1α)。结果啤酒花提取物对原代前棕色脂肪细胞的增殖没有影响;与对照组比较,随着质量浓度的增加,啤酒花提取物可以显著提高脂滴消耗率;啤酒花提取物能够使棕色脂肪细胞中UCP1、p38αMAPK和PGC1α蛋白表达水平上升。结论啤酒花提取物可以提高棕色脂肪细胞产热功能,加强能量代谢,其可能机制是增强p38MAPK-PGC1α-UCP1级联反应,进而提高棕色脂肪特异性蛋白UCP1的表达。 Objective To investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of hops extract on the proliferation and function of primary brown adipocytes and to provide new evidences for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Methods Newborn rat brown adipose precursor cells were cultured in vitro. Hops extracts with different concentrations were added, and the proliferation of the cells was detected by MTT assay. After differentiated and matured, the lipid droplets were analyzed by oil red O staining. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of related proteins, including uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38αMAPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-helper activating factor 1α (PGC1α). Results The hops extract had no effect on the proliferation of primary preadipocytes. Compared with the control group, hops extracts could significantly increase the rate of lipid drop with the increase of mass concentration. Hops extracts could increase the expression of UCP1, p38αMAPK and PGC1α protein expression levels increased. Conclusion The hops extract can enhance the thermogenic function of brown adipocytes and enhance the energy metabolism. The possible mechanism is that the p38MAPK-PGC1α-UCP1 cascade reaction can be enhanced and the expression of brown fat-specific protein UCP1 can be increased.