Green tea catechins prevent obesity through modulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors

Epidemiological evidence and experimental studies suggest that drinking green tea is associated with a lower risk of obesity and related diseases. However, the mechanisms of these effects are not clear. In the present study, we investigated the anti-obesity mechanisms of green tea catechins (GTCs) through modulation of peroxisome proliferator activated-receptor (PPAR) pathways in high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats. GTC supplementation significantly attenuated the increased body and liver weights and the elevated serum and liver triglyceride levels. Meanwhile, GTCs increased the PPAR gamma levels in subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SWAT) and decreased the PPAR gamma levels in visceral white adipose tissue (VWAT). In addition, GTC treatment up-regulated the levels of PPAR delta in SWAT, VWAT, and brown adipose tissue and increased the expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation in brown adipose tissue. Our results suggest that GTCs exert their anti-obesity mechanism in part by modulating PPAR signaling pathways.