Title:Thiamine: A Natural Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma
(PPAR-γ) Activator
Volume: 19
Issue: 10
Author(s): Parasuraman Aiya Subramani, Firdose Begum Shaik, R. Dinakaran Michael, Kalpana Panati and Venkata Ramireddy Narala*
Affiliation:
- Department of Zoology, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa, A.P., 516 005, India
Keywords:
PPAR-γ, thiamine, type 2 diabetes, molecular dynamics simulations, adipocytes differentiation, natural ligand.
Abstract:
Background: There has been increasing evidence of the correlation between thiamine deficiency
and type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is a condition in which an individual’s insulin sensitivity is highly
compromised. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) is a ligand-activated transcription
factor etiologically relevant to T2D. We hypothesized that thiamine could be a PPAR-γ ligand
and thus activate PPAR-γ and ameliorate T2D.
Objective: This study aims to establish thiamine as a PPAR-γ ligand via molecular docking and dynamics
simulations (MDS) and thiamine’s ability to induce adipogenesis while upregulating PPAR-γ and AP-2
genes using in vitro assays.
Methods: Thiamine/PPAR-γ binding was studied using Schrödinger’s Glide. The bound complex was
simulated in the OPLS 2005 force field using Desmond. 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells were differentiated in
the presence of thiamine and rosiglitazone and stained with Oil Red O. Nuclear protein from the differentiated
cells was used to study the binding of the PPAR-γ response element (PPRE) using an ELISA-based
assay. mRNA from differentiated cells was used to study the expression of genes using quantitative RTPCR.
Results: In silico docking shows that thiamine binds with PPAR-γ. MDS indicate that the interactions
between thiamine and PPAR-γ are stable over a significant period. Thiamine induces the differentiation of
3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner and enhances the PPRE-binding activity of PPAR-γ.
Thiamine treatment significantly increases the mRNA levels of PPAR-γ and AP-2 genes.
Conclusion: Our results show that thiamine is a PPAR-γ ligand. Animal studies and clinical trials are
required to corroborate the results obtained.