Hepatic proteome and its network response to supplementation of an anti-obesity herbal mixture in diet-induced obese mice

In the present study, we investigated the effects of multi-herbal water extract mixture, Taeumjowi-tang (TH) on liver proteome alteration in mice using twodimensional electrophoresis combined with MALDI-TOFMS. Animals were fed high-fat diet with or without TH (0.3% wt/wt) supplement for 12 weeks. At the end of 5th week of experimental diet, mice fed high-fat diet only were subdivided into 2 groups, obesity-prone (OP) and obesityresistant (OR) mice based on weight gain. OR mice gained less body weight compared to OP mice despite of same food intake. TH significantly suppressed weight gain, and proteomic analysis enabled the identification of 49 liver proteins showing differential regulation between OP and OR/TH mice. Combined results of proteomic and western blot analyses revealed decreased lipogenesis via three fatty acid metabolic targets (AMPK, ACC, and FAS) in livers of OR and TH mice. Using bioinformatic classification and network analysis, most of the identified proteins were classified as hydrolases, oxidoreductases, transferases, defense/immunity proteins, and enzyme modulators based on functional analysis of the PANTHER classification system. Combined results of proteomic and bioinformatic analyses using GeneMANIA identified two proteins (LACTB2 and NIT2) in the liver that potentially interact with fatty acid metabolic proteins. Furthermore, these proteins were included in acetylation, phosphoprotein, and metabolic processes in DAVID classification. These proteins were highly expressed in OP mice; however both their transcription and protein expression were lowered by TH treatment. In conclusion, combined data from proteomic and network analyses suggest that TH exerts anti-obesity effects by modulating fatty acid metabolic proteins/genes, particularly via the AMPK pathway. Most targeted proteins/ genes were modulated toward enhancing lipid metabolism in response to TH treatment.