Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction attenuates obesity via regulating adipocyte-immune cell communication

Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction (BBTD), a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula, is prescribed for phlegm-dampness syndromes, including cardiovascular dysfunction, hypertension and obesity. The precise molecular mechanisms underlying BBTD's anti-obesity effect against adipose tissue (AT) inflammation, however, remains unclear.

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of BBTD and investigate its underlying molecular mechanism.

We induced obesity with a high-fat diet (HFD) and then used single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) to characterize the cellular landscape of cells from epididymal white adipose tissues (eWAT) of mice in Normal, Model and BBTD groups.

The Model group exhibited an aberrant increase in adipocyte size and lipid accumulation, alongside AT metabolic dysfunction. Administration of a high concentration of BBTD largely reversed these alterations. snRNA-seq of eWAT further revealed that HFD feeding promoted the accumulation of inflammatory factors and AT macrophages (ATMs), as well as complex adipocyte-macrophage communication. BBTD significantly attenuated AT inflammation by suppressing interleukin 7 receptor (IL-7R) positive LAMs infiltration and cell interactions.

Here, we highlight the therapeutic potential of BBTD in anti-obesity through improving AT microenvironment.