The present study was conducted to investigate effects of rabbit meat extract on energy metabolism and muscle differentiation in C2C12 myotubes. Water extract of rabbit meat (10, 50, 100, and 200 μg/ml) was used to treat differentiated C2C12 cells. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analysis were used to determine mRNA or protein levels of energy metabolism-related genes. Total adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content was also measured. Treatment with rabbit meat extract significantly increased expression levels of muscle differentiation markers (myogenin and myosin heavy chain) and mitochondrial biogenesis regulators (PGC1α, NRF1, and TFAM) in C2C12 myotubes compared to non-treated control. Additionally, rabbit meat extract activated phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl-coA carboxylase (ACC). Rabbit meat extract significantly increased ATP contents in myotubes. These results suggest that rabbit meat extract has the potential to improve energy metabolism in skeletal muscles.

Calcium is the most abundant stored mineral in the human body and is especially vital for bone health; thus, calcium deficiency can cause bone-related diseases, such as osteopenia and osteoporosis. However, a high concentration of serum calcium, which is commonly known as hypercalcemia, can also lead to weakened bones and, in severe cases, osteosarcoma. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the concentration of calcium that is appropriate for bone biology. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the effects of high concentration of calcium, approximately 2 folds the normal calcium level, on osteoblast differentiation. The CaCl2 treatment showed dose-dependent suppression of the alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralized nodule formation. Calcium showed cytotoxicity at an extremely high concentration, but a moderately high concentration of calcium that results in inhibitory effects to osteoblast differentiation showed no signs of cytotoxicity. We also confirmed that the CaCl2 treatment repressed the mRNA expression and protein abundance of various osteogenic genes and transcriptional factors. Considered together, these results indicate that a high concentration of calcium negatively regulates the osteoblast differentiation of C2C12 cells.

본 연구는 짚신나물 열수 추출물의 α-glucosidase 저해 활 성을 측정하고, 분화된 근육세포에서 glucose 이용과 인슐린 신호전달에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 짚신나물 열수 추출 물(10 ㎎/㎖)은 α-glucosidase 활성을 67% 저해하였으며, 같은 농도의 양성대조구인 acarbose(63%)와 유사한 저해 효과를 보였다. 짚신나물 열수 추출물이 α-glucosidase에 의한 단당 류 생성을 저해함으로 식사 후 혈당이 급격히 상승하는 것을 억제하는데 효과적인 소재로 이용 가능성을 확인하였다. 또한 근육세포에서 인슐린 저항성을 유발하기 위해 지방산(1 mM, palmitic acid)를 처리하였고, glucose의 세포내 유입이 감소 되는 것을 확인하였다. 지방산 처리 세포 모델에서 짚신나 물 열수 추출물(10 ㎍/㎖)은 glucose 이용을 유의적으로 회복 시켜 주었다. Normal 상태의 배양조건에서 근육세포의 포도 당 이용능은 짚신나물 열수 추출물(100 ㎍/㎖) 처리에 의해 유의적으로 증가하였다. 근육세포 내로 glucose 유입은 운반 단백질인 Glut4를 통해 이루어지며, 이것은 인슐린이 신호전 달을 통해 조절한다. 짚신나물 열수 추출물의 세포 내 glucose 이용 증가 효과는 인슐린 신호전달 관련 분자인 Akt 유전자 와 단백질 발현을 증가시킨 것과 관련되는 것으로 추정된다. 결론적으로, 짚신나물 열수 추출물은 소화기관에서의 탄수화 물 흡수 저해와 근육세포 내 glucose 이용 증가를 통해 혈당 조절 및 당 대사 개선에 긍정적인 영향을 미치고 있음을 확인 하였다.