Exploring the multiple mechanisms of Hydroxytyrosol in treating obesity

The exploration of multi-mechanism therapeutics may represent a key strategy for treating obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Hydroxytyrosol (HT), a phenolic compound derived from olive oil in the Mediterranean diet, exhibits potential for obesity treatment; however, its precise mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

This study aimed to elucidate the therapeutic effects of HT in obesity and to uncover its underlying regulatory mechanisms.

An obesity model was induced in C57BL/6 mice via a high-fat diet (HFD) to evaluate the in vivo effects of HT. Assessments included glucose tolerance test (GTT), insulin tolerance test (ITT) and biochemical analyses of fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting serum insulin (FINS), uric acid (UA), blood lipid, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Hepatic, skeletal muscle, myocardial and adipose tissue (AT) morphology were examined via H&E staining. In vitro, 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were used to investigate the effects of HT on adipogenesis and thermogenic capacity. Lipid accumulation was assessed by Oil Red O and BODIPY 493/503 staining. Protein expression levels were determined via immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis.

HFD feeding led to increased body weight, FBG, FINS, UA, AST, ALT, and the area under the curve (AUC) for GTT and ITT. H&E staining revealed hepatic vacuolization, skeletal muscle fiber hypertrophy, and myocardial disorganization in HFD-fed mice. HT treatment significantly reduced body weight, improved glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and liver function, and restored normal tissue morphology of liver, skeletal muscle, myocardium, and AT. HFD upregulated the expression of PPARγ, C/EBPβ, FABP4, STING1, and NLRP3 proteins in white AT, which were markedly attenuated by HT. HT reversed HFD-induced downregulation of PGC1α and UCP1 in brown AT. In vitro experiments confirmed that HT modulates adipogenesis and thermogenic activation in preadipocyte via the STING1/NLRP3 pathways.

These findings demonstrate that HT acts as a novel anti-obesity agent by targeting the STING1/NLRP3 axis to suppress adipogenesis in adipose tissue and ameliorate obesity-related alterations in AT, liver, skeletal muscle, and myocardium. This study provides a mechanistic foundation for the potential application of HT in obesity intervention.