Oxidative Stress and Obesity: Detection of Free Radicals in Leptin Resistant and Catalase Transgenic Mice

Abstract

There is a homeostatic balance between the production of natural antioxidants and free radicals in the body. Catalase is an enzyme which behaves as an antioxidant by decomposing peroxide into oxygen and water. Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals are in excess in relation to antioxidants. Deficiencies in antioxidant mechanisms have been linked to obesity, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. More than 33% of adults and 16% of children are obese, and to combat this crisis a better understanding of these mechanisms is needed. We hypothesized that an increase in catalase expression and activity should lead to a decrease in obesogenic pathways. Free radical concentrations were measured using electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometry in four different genotypes of mice: wild‐type, cat‐tg (catalase transgenic), ob/ob, and a new model bob‐cat (leptin resistant and catalase transgenic). Liver and adipose tissue were bathed in an EPR spin probe CMH, and incubated for 30 minutes. Tissues were then measured using the Bruker X‐Band 9.8 GHz EPR Spectrometer at Marshall University. It was observed that the wild‐type sample contained the highest concentration of free radicals, followed by cat‐tg. Bob‐cat contained the lowest concentration, slightly less than ob/ob. It was expected that cat‐tg would have a lower concentration than wild‐type. However, obtaining even lower measurements from ob/ob and bob‐cat shows that more work must be done to fully elucidate these processes.Support or Funding InformationSummer Undergraduate Research Fellowship 2017 (SURF)This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.