Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica L.) fruit polyphenolic extract modulates carbohydrate metabolism in HepG2 cells via AMP-activated protein kinase

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is a chronic diet-related disease which due to many dangerous complications has become a prominent health problem of the world. The aim of the study was to explore the in vitro activity of Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica L., family Rosaceae, JQ) fruit polyphenolic extract as modulator of carbohydrates metabolism. The research was designed to investigate the effect of JQ polyphenolic extract on glucose metabolism in human hepatoma HepG2 cell line cultured under normal non-metabolically changed and hyperglycemic conditions. Pretreatment of the cells with JQ preparation caused decrease of intracellular ROS generation and influenced mitochondrial membrane polarization which seemed to lead to AMPK activation. Further effects observed in HepG2 cells were associated with activation of the enzyme: elevation of glucose uptake and glycogen content, and alleviation of gluconeogenesis through modulation of PEPCK, PTP1B, FOXO1 and GLUT2/4 expression. These findings suggest that JQ polyphenols exhibit hypoglycemic effects via modulation of AMPK signaling in hepatocytes.