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L-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-Dopa) Induces Brown-like Phenotype in 3T3-L1 White Adipocytes via Activation of Dopaminergic and β3-adrenergic Receptors

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An Erratum to this article was published on 24 December 2022

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Abstract

Due to its propensity to boost energy expenditure, browning of white fat is emerging as an intriguing and prospective target for therapeutic intervention in obesity. Here, we report that L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-Dopa), used as a gold standard therapy in Parkinson’s disease, induces browning in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by increasing the expression levels of beige-specific marker genes such as Cd137, Cited1, Cidea, Tbx1, Prdm16, and Ucp1. In addition, exposure to L-Dopa induces a remarkable increase in the expressions of proteins involved in thermogenesis in white adipocytes. L-Dopa treatment also regulates 3T3-L1 adipocytes by markedly increasing protein expressions of p-AMPK, p-HSL, CPT1, ACOX1, and PPARα while decreasing FAS, ACC, C/EBPα, and PPARγ, suggesting enhanced lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation as well as reduced lipogenesis and adipogenesis, respectively. Molecular docking studies elucidated that L-Dopa binds to dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1) and β3-AR, thereby predicting the potential receptor candidates that activate protein kinase A (PKA), the master regulator of lipid metabolism. Mechanistic studies indicate that the browning potential of L-Dopa in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes is mediated by DRD1 and β3-AR activation, which consequently stimulates the PKA/p38 MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. In conclusion, L-Dopa appears to be a promising therapeutic candidate in the fight against obesity due to its inherent role in the browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes via both the dopaminergic and adrenergic pathways. To our knowledge, this is the first report that demonstrates the browning potential of L-Dopa in white adipocytes. Our results may assist to expand the understanding on the contradictory findings in literature, related to the association between L-Dopa and weight loss observed in Parkinson’s disease patients.

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Acknowledgement

This study was supported by a Daegu University Research Grant 2022.

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  1. Department of Biotechnology, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, 38453, Korea

    Kiros Haddish & Jong Won Yun

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Haddish, K., Yun, J.W. L-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-Dopa) Induces Brown-like Phenotype in 3T3-L1 White Adipocytes via Activation of Dopaminergic and β3-adrenergic Receptors. Biotechnol Bioproc E 27, 818–832 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-021-0361-1

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