Biochanin A and CPe-III Peptide Improved Hepatic Inflammation by Regulating the Hepatic Lipid Metabolic Pathways in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Biochanin A (BCA) and CPe-III peptide, which both exist in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), possess significant antihyperlipidemic properties. However, the actual mechanisms of those compounds in inhibiting the dysregulation of lipid metabolism and complicated inflammation have not been well characterized. This study investigated the effects of BCA, CPe-III peptide, and combined BCA and CPe-III peptide (BC) on the expression of genes involved in hepatic lipid and inflammation metabolism. Results demonstrated that BCA, CPe-III peptide, and BC significantly attenuated hepatitis and hyperlipidemia by downregulating those genes involved in pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α), hepatic fatty acid (FA) synthesis (ACC1 and FAS), cholesterol metabolism (SREBP2, HMGCR, and PCSK9), and upregulating key regulators involved in FA oxidation (PPARα and FABP1), lipolysis (ATGL), LDLR, reverse cholesterol transport (ABCA1, SR-B1, and LXRα), and cholesterol catabolism (CYP7A1). Moreover, they also altered the expression of lipid metabolism-related proteins, including SREBP2, PCSK9, LDLR, ABCA1, and CYP7A1. Finally, these results revealed that the combination treatment of BCA and CPe-III peptide resulted in greater antihyperlipidemic activity compared with individual compounds.