Abstract
Phaeodactylum tricornutum (P. tricornutum) comprise several lipophilic constituents with proposed anti-obesity and anti-diabetic properties. We investigated the effect of an ethanolic P. tricornutum extract (PTE) on energy metabolism in obesity-prone mice fed a high fat diet (HFD). Six- to eight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were switched to HFD and, at the same time, received orally placebo or PTE (100 mg or 300 mg/kg body weight/day). Body weight, body composition, and food intake were monitored. After 26 days, blood and tissue samples were collected for biochemical, morphological, and gene expression analyses. PTE-supplemented mice accumulated fucoxanthin metabolites in adipose tissues and attained lower body weight gain, body fat content, weight of white adipose tissue (WAT) depots, and inguinal WAT adipocyte size than controls, independent of decreased food intake. PTE supplementation was associated with lower expression of Mest (a marker of fat tissue expandability) in WAT depots, lower gene expression related to lipid uptake and turnover in visceral WAT, increased expression of genes key to fatty acid oxidation and thermogenesis (Cpt1, Ucp1) in subcutaneous WAT, and signs of thermogenic activation including enhanced UCP1 protein in interscapular brown adipose tissue. In conclusion, these data show the potential of PTE to ameliorate HFD-induced obesity in vivo.
Highlights
IntroductionMicroalgae constitute a sustainable source of a multitude of nutrients with interesting properties such as proteins, ω-3 fatty acids, carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals [1], leading to an increasing market
Microalgae constitute a sustainable source of a multitude of nutrients with interesting properties such as proteins, ω-3 fatty acids, carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals [1], leading to an increasing marketNutrients 2019, 11, 796; doi:10.3390/nu11040796 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrientsNutrients 2019, 11, 796 of microalgae-containing nutraceuticals and food products with important clinical and economic implications [2]
In we provide evidence that an ethanolic extract of the microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum ameliorates this work, we provide evidence that an ethanolic extract of the microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum the development of diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice independent of decreased ameliorates the development of diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice independent of food intake
Summary
Microalgae constitute a sustainable source of a multitude of nutrients with interesting properties such as proteins, ω-3 fatty acids, carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals [1], leading to an increasing market. Few studies to date have addressed the anti-obesity properties of P. tricornutum in vivo [25,26] In these studies, supplementation of the diet with P. tricornutum lipid extract [25] or P. tricornutum powder [26] ameliorated body weight and body fat gain of mice on a high fat diet (HFD) independently of decreases in food intake. In the study by Kim et al, evidence was provided that P. tricornutum powder may activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in the liver [26] These previous reports did not address changes in cellular and metabolic features of adipose tissues as potential contributors to the anti-obesity activity of P. tricornutum supplementation. Body weight gain, adipose depots weight, adipocyte size distribution, and expression in adipose tissues of selected genes related to lipid and energy metabolism were analyzed, together with parameters related to glucose control
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