Edible sweet potato leaf can be exploited in the management and treatment of insulin resistance. This study investigated the effects of three sweet potato leaf extracts (SPLEs) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) on glucose uptake (2-NBDG uptake and GLUT4 abundance) and expression of their related regulatory factors (such as IR, IRS-1, p-Akt1, and p-AMPKα1 abundances) using Western blot analysis in insulin-treated insulin-resistant C2C12 cells. The results show that both purple and green SPLEs improved glucose (2-NBDG) uptake efficacy with insulin treatments, and both SPLEs also increased GLUT4 and IR abundances via activation of p-Akt in the PI3K/Akt pathway, whereas the IR abundance efficacy influence was the same as in the insulin-treated group. The yellow SPLE and CGA have higher protein abundances of IR and IRS-1, while CGA (20 μg/mL) exhibits the highest abundance of p-Akt1 and p-AMPKα1. These results suggest potential benefits of purple and green SPLEs in promoting glucose uptake, possibly through modulation of insulin signaling pathways.
Background/Objectives: Obesity and metabolic conditions increase the risk of metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This study examined the risk of MASLD in 137 renal transplant recipients (RTRs) from a single-center hospital on the basis of their obesity and metabolic health status. Methods: Participants were categorized into four groups: metabolically healthy nonobese (MHNO), metabolically healthy obese (MHO), metabolically abnormal nonobese (MANO), and metabolically abnormal obese (MAO). MASLD was assessed using the hepatic steatosis index (HSI), calculated as 8 × (aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio) + body mass index + 2 (if diabetic) + 2 (if woman). The HSI scores were 29.50 ± 4.55, 38.08 ± 5.44, 33.61 ± 5.23, and 39.86 ± 4.13 in the MHNO, MHO, MANO, and MAO groups, respectively (p < 0.05). Results: Overall, 25.55% of the participants (57.14% men) were classified as having MASLD (HSI > 36). A multivariate-adjusted regression analysis revealed significantly higher HSI scores in the MAO group than in the MHNO group. Both MHO and MANO groups also had significantly higher HSI scores. The odds ratios for more severe MASLD were 2.74 (95% CI: 0.88–8.52) for the MANO group and 74.59 (95% CI: 13.29–418.68) for the MAO group compared with the MHNO group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that RTRs with obesity have a higher risk of MASLD, but even those with a normal weight and metabolic abnormalities are at increased risk.