Novel Anti-Obesity Properties of Palmaria mollis in Zebrafish and Mouse Models.

Hiroko Nakayama,Koichi Matsuda,Yasuhito Shimada,Chris Langdon,Masahiro Terasawa,Liqing Zang,Charles Toombs,Norihiro Nishimura,Kaoru Nishiura

doi:10.3390/nu10101401

Abstract

(1) Background: The red seaweed Palmaria mollis (PM), which has a bacon-like taste, is increasingly being included in Western diets. In this study, we evaluate anti-obesity effects of PM using diet-induced obese (DIO) zebrafish and mice models. (2) Methods: We fed PM-containing feed to DIO-zebrafish and mice, and evaluated the anti-obesity effects We also analyzed gene expression changes in their liver and visceral adipose tissues (VAT). (3) Results: PM ameliorated several anti-obesity traits in both animals, including dyslipidaemia, hepatic steatosis, and visceral adiposity. In liver tissues of DIO-zebrafish and mice, PM upregulated gene expressions involved in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARA) pathways, and downregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) pathways, suggesting that the lipid-lowering effect of PM might be caused by activation of beta-oxidation and inhibition of lipogenesis. In VAT, PM downregulated genes involved in early and late adipocyte differentiation in zebrafish, but not in mice. (4) Conclusions: We have demonstrated that PM can prevent hepatic steatosis and visceral adiposity for the first time. Dietary supplementation of PM as a functional food may be suitable for obesity prevention and reduction in the prevalence of obesity-related diseases.

Highlights

Obesity is one of the most challenging public health problems in developed countries and it is of growing concern in developing countries
As downregulation of the late differentiation markers pparg (Figure 6B) and cebpa. These results indicate that PMof suppressed adipocyte differentiation during obesity development mouse
Recent studies have begun to explore explore zebrafish homologues of mammalian genes involved in lipid metabolism; for example, several zebrafish homologues of mammalian genes involved in lipid metabolism; for example, several transgenic and mutant zebrafish models with hepatic steatosis exhibit elevated expression of important transgenic and mutant zebrafish models with hepatic steatosis exhibit elevated expression of lipogenic genes, such as cebpa, pparg, srebp1, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1, which show a similar important lipogenic genes, such as cebpa, pparg, srebp1, and acetyl‐CoA carboxylase 1, which show mechanism to that observed in human hepatic steatosis [43]

Summary

Introduction

Obesity is one of the most challenging public health problems in developed countries and it is of growing concern in developing countries. The prevalence of obesity has increased so rapidly that it has nearly doubled since 1980 and is considered to be a global epidemic [1]. Obesity increases the likelihood of various adverse health effects, dyslipidemia, nonalcoholic hepatic disease, Nutrients 2018, 10, 1401; doi:10.3390/nu10101401 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients. Dieting and physical exercise are the mainstays of treatment for obesity. If dieting and exercise are not effective, anti-obesity drugs may be taken to reduce appetite or inhibit fat absorption. Most of these drugs are associated with side effects such as high blood pressure, restlessness, insomnia, and drug addiction [2]

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion