Fig. 3

Honokiol ameliorates high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and insulin resistance. A and B Weights of white adipose tissue (WAT) (A) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) (B) from NC- or HFD-fed mice treated with honokiol or vehicle after 12 weeks of their respective diets. n = 6 mice per group. One-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. C Representative images and quantification of HE staining of WAT from HFD-fed mice treated with honokiol or vehicle after 12 weeks of their respective diets. n = 6 mice per group. Student’s t-test was applied for statistical analysis. Scale bar 50 μm. D Representative images and quantification of IHC staining of F4/80-positive cells in WAT sections. CLS, crown-like structure. n = 6 mice per group. Student’s t-test was applied for statistical analysis. Scale bar 50 μm. E Blood glucose concentrations during glucose tolerance testing (GTT) of HFD-fed mice treated with honokiol or vehicle at 22 weeks. n = 6 mice per group at each time point. Student’s t-test was applied for statistical analysis. Area under the GTT curve shown right. F Blood glucose concentrations during insulin tolerance testing (ITT) of HFD-fed mice treated with honokiol or vehicle at 23 weeks. n = 6 mice per group at each time point. Student’s t-test was applied for statistical analysis. Area under the ITT curve shown right. G Serum insulin concentration of HFD-fed mice treated with honokiol or vehicle after 12 weeks of their respective diets. n = 6 mice per group. Student’s t-test was applied for statistical analysis. H GSVA pathway enrichment analysis related to cell death, inflammation, and fatty acid degradation differentially regulated by honokiol treatment. n = 5 mice per group. I Heatmap of gene expression profiles involved in cell damage and death, inflammation, and fatty acid degradation