Abstract
BackgroundMetabolically-obese, normal-weight (MONW) individuals are not obese in terms of weight and height but have a number of obesity-related features (e.g. greater visceral adiposity, insulin resistance, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease). The MONW phenotype is related to the intake of unbalanced diets, such as those rich in fat. Increasing evidence shows a relationship between high-fat diet consumption and mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Thus, MONW individuals could be at a greater risk of cognitive dysfunction. We aimed to evaluate whether MONW-like animals present gene expression alterations in the hippocampus associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment, and to identify early biomarkers of cognitive dysfunction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).MethodsWistar rats were chronically fed with a 60% (HF60) or a 45% (HF45) high-fat diet administered isocalorically to control animals to mimic MONW features. Expression analysis of cognitive decline-related genes was performed using RT-qPCR, and working memory was assessed using a T-maze.ResultsHigh-fat diet consumption altered the pattern of gene expression in the hippocampus, clearly pointing to cognitive decline, which was accompanied by a worse performance in the T-maze in HF60 animals. Remarkably, Syn1 and Sorl1 mRNA showed the same expression pattern in both the hippocampus and the PBMC obtained at different time-points in the HF60 group, even before other pathological signs were observed.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that long-term intake of high-fat diets, even in the absence of obesity, leads to cognitive disruption that is reflected in PBMC transcriptome. Therefore, PBMC are revealed as a plausible, minimally-invasive source of early biomarkers of cognitive impairment associated with increased fat intake.
Highlights
Metabolically-obese, normal-weight (MONW) individuals are not obese in terms of weight and height but have a number of obesity-related features
There is a group of subjects who present metabolic features related to obesity, but in the absence of increased body weight. These individuals are known as “metabolically-obese, normalweight” (MONW), and have greater visceral adiposity and increased fat deposition in tissues such as liver, heart, and muscle [17,18,19], which can lead to hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and Cardiovascular disease (CVD) [20, 21]
A high-fat diet appears to play a significant role in cognitive dysfunction and, MONW individuals could be at a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment later in life
Summary
Metabolically-obese, normal-weight (MONW) individuals are not obese in terms of weight and height but have a number of obesity-related features (e.g. greater visceral adiposity, insulin resistance, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease). There is a group of subjects who present metabolic features related to obesity, but in the absence of increased body weight. These individuals are known as “metabolically-obese, normalweight” (MONW), and have greater visceral adiposity and increased fat deposition in tissues such as liver, heart, and muscle [17,18,19], which can lead to hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and CVD [20, 21]. A high-fat diet appears to play a significant role in cognitive dysfunction and, MONW individuals could be at a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment later in life
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