Fig. 1

Phloretin (PT) reduced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. a Oil Red O staining revealed lipid accumulation. b HepG2 cells were treated with isopropanol and lipid accumulation measured using the absorbance at OD 490 nm. Effects of phloretin (PT) on lipid metabolism in oleic acid (OA)-induced HepG2 cells. c The expression of transcription factors and FAS and d the fold expression were measured relative to β-actin. e β-oxidation and f the fold expression were measured relative to β-actin. g Lipolysis was detected by Western blot and h the fold expression measured relative to the expression of β-actin. i The Sirt1/AMPK pathway and j fold expression measured relative to β-actin. Data are presented as mean ± SEM; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 compared to the OA group. ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01 compared to the without treated-OA group. Furthermore, k HepG2 cells were treated with 0.5 mM OA for 48 h, followed by 30 μM phloretin with or without an AMPK inhibitor (compound c) for 24 h. l The fold expression was measured relative to β-actin. Three independent experiments were analyzed and the data presented as the mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 compared to the compound c group. ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01 compared to the OA group