High-calorie Diet Research Articles

Peculiarities of sialoglycoprotein metabolism in rat tissues under high-calorie diet under immobilization conditions

Peculiarities of sialoglycoprotein metabolism in rat tissues under high-calorie diet under immobilization conditions

The predictive role of serum uric acid levels before pregnancy in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus.

With the prevalence of obesity, growing age of first pregnancy, highly processed high-calorie diet, consumption of saturated fats as well as sedentary and stressful life, the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing. We aimed to determine the predictive role of pre-pregnancy serum uric acid levels and the occurrence of GDM during pregnancy. This study was a descriptive-analytical study that was performed retrospectively through case-control. The Subjects of this study were women over 18 years of age who were 24-28 weeks pregnant. All subjects of this study were evaluated for GDM based on the ADA guideline and were divided into case and control groups. All data relating to the period of 6 months before pregnancy of the study participants including blood uric acid level, blood pressure, etc. were collected and analyzed. In this study, 454 normal individuals without GDM and 478 others with GDM were examined. The mean serum uric acid showed to be 4.47 ± 1.33 mg/dl in patients with GDM but 3.7 ± 1.25 mg/dl in patients without GDM (p value = 0.001). The results of the regression test showed that the incidence of GDM in people with blood uric acid levels of 4.1-5, 5.1-6, and more than 6 mg/dl is 2.46, 3.42, and 4.9 times higher in people with uric acid levels less than 3 mg/dl, respectively. The present study identified that serum uric acid levels in the period of 6 months before pregnancy can be used as an independent predictor marker for future GDM.

CURCUMIN RESTORES THE BALANCE OF NO-SYNTHASES IN THE BRAIN HEMISPHERES OF RATS EXPOSED TO ROUND-THE-CLOCK LIGHT UNDER CONDITIONS OF A DIET HIGH IN FRUCTOSE AND FAT

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of curcumin on the ratio of constitutive and inducible NOS isoforms in the cerebral cortex of rats under a round-the-clock lighting (RCL) with a high fructose and fat diet. The experiments were performed on 21 white Wistar rats weighing 235±20 g, divided into 3 groups. Animals in the first group (control) received a standard diet (energy value 2720 kcal/kg) and were exposed to an equal alternation of light and darkness. The rats of the second and third groups were kept in RCL conditions against the background of the administration of a high-calorie carbohydrate-lipid diet (HCCLD, 4477 kcal/kg). In addition, animals of the third group received curcumin daily through a gavage, intragastrically, at a dose of 200 mg/kg. The activity of total NOS and its constitutive isoforms (cNOS) in the cerebral homogenate was measured, inducible isoenzyme (iNOS) activity and cNOS coupling index were calculated. Curcumin administration significantly reduced the total and inducible activity of NOS in the cerebral homogenate– by 34 and 38%, respectively, compared with the values of the second group. At the same time, cNOS activity (2.3-fold) and its coupling index (3.8-fold) increased significantly compared with the data of the second group. It is concluded that the use of curcumin in metabolic disorders associated with pathogenic factors of the “Western lifestyle” – light disorders and the use of HCCLD restores the normal ratio of constitutive and inducible NOS isoforms, cNOS coupling in the rat cerebral hemispheres, which prevents the development of oxidative-nitrosative stress.

Correlation of energy intake and physical activity with visceral fat in obese office

Background: Obesity is a global health problem with a continuing trend of increasing population. A positive energy balance, where energy intake is more remarkable than energy expenditure, will cause fat accumulation. Obesity due to the expansion of fat, especially visceral fat, is a risk factor for noncommunicable diseases. Office employees can become obese with a high-calorie diet and a sedentary lifestyle. This study aims to determine the correlation between energy intake and physical activity with visceral fat in obese office workers.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on obese office staff at RSCM. Energy intake was assessed with 3 x 24-h food recalls. Physical activity was assessed with the GPAQ questionnaire, and visceral fat was considered with multifrequency BIA.
 Results: A total of 66 study subjects with an average age of 41 years were women and included in the category of obesity degree I. Almost all subjects had abnormal visceral fat volume with a median of 2.95 L (1.3 – 8.5 L). Most have more energy intake, with an average intake of 2196 ± 467 kcal. Most had moderate physical activity with a median value of 1850 MET (120 – 4680 MET). There was a moderate correlation between energy intake and visceral fat (r=0.554, p<0.001) and a weak correlation between physical activity and visceral fat (r=-324, P=0.008).
 Conclusion: There was a moderate correlation between energy intake and visceral fat and a weak correlation between physical activity and visceral fat.

Resistance to Diet Induced Visceral Fat Accumulation in C57BL/6NTac Mice Is Associated with an Enriched Lactococcus in the Gut Microbiota and the Phenotype of Immune B Cells in Intestine and Adipose Tissue.

Humans and rodents exhibit a divergent obesity phenotype where not all individuals exposed to a high calorie diet become obese. We hypothesized that in C57BL/6NTac mice, despite a shared genetic background and diet, variations in individual gut microbiota function, immune cell phenotype in the intestine and adipose determine predisposition to obesity. From a larger colony fed a high-fat (HF) diet (60% fat), we obtained twenty-four 18-22-week-old C57BL/6NTac mice. Twelve had responded to the diet, had higher body weight and were termed obese prone (OP). The other 12 had retained a lean frame and were termed obese resistant (OR). We singly housed them for three weeks, monitored food intake and determined insulin resistance, fat accumulation, and small intestinal and fecal gut microbial community membership and structure. From the lamina propria and adipose tissue, we determined the population of total and specific subsets of T and B cells. The OP mice with higher fat accumulation and insulin resistance harbored microbial communities with enhanced capacity for processing dietary sugars, lower alpha diversity, greater abundance of Lactobacilli and low abundance of Clostridia and Desulfobacterota. The OR with less fat accumulation retained insulin sensitivity and harbored microbial communities with enhanced capacity for processing and synthesizing amino acids and higher diversity and greater abundance of Lactococcus, Desulfobacterota and class Clostridia. The B cell phenotype in the lamina propria and mesenteric adipose tissue of OR mice was characterized by a higher population of IgA+ cells and B1b IgM+ cells, respectively, compared to the OP. We conclude that variable responses to the HF diet are associated with the function of individuals' gut microbiota and immune responses in the lamina propria and adipose tissue.

Non-Conventional Risk Factors: "Fact" or "Fake" in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), such as arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, etc., still represent the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. They significantly modify the patients' quality of life with a tremendous economic impact. It is well established that cardiovascular risk factors increase the probability of fatal and non-fatal cardiac events. These risk factors are classified into modifiable (smoking, arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, low HDL cholesterol, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, high-fat and high-calorie diet, reduced physical activity) and non-modifiable (sex, age, family history, of previous cardiovascular disease). Hence, CVD prevention is based on early identification and management of modifiable risk factors whose impact on the CV outcome is now performed by the use of CV risk assessment models, such as the Framingham Risk Score, Pooled Cohort Equations, or the SCORE2. However, in recent years, emerging, non-traditional factors (metabolic and non-metabolic) seem to significantly affect this assessment. In this article, we aim at defining these emerging factors and describe the potential mechanisms by which they might contribute to the development of CVD.

Senescence ofbone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in Wistar malerats receiving normal chow/high-calorie diets with/without vitamin D.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have a momentous function in the composition of the bone marrow microenvironment because of their many valuable properties and abilities, such as immunomodulation and hematopoiesis. The features and actions of MSCs are influenced by senescence, which may be affected by various factors such as nutritional/micronutrients status, e.g., vitamin D. This study aimed to examine the effects of a high-calorie diet (HCD) with/without vitamin D on BM-MSCs senescence. In the first phase, 48 middle-aged rats were fed a normal chow diet (NCD, n = 24) and an HCD (n = 24) for 26 weeks. Afterward, the rats in each group were randomly divided into three equal subgroups. Immediately, eight-rat from each diet group were sacrificed to assess the HCD effects on the first phase measurements. In the second phase, the remaining 4 groups of rats were fed either NCD or HCD with (6 IU/g) or without vitamin D (standard intake: 1 IU/g); in other words, in this phase, the animals were fed (a) NCD, (b) NCD plus vitamin D, (c) HCD, and (d) HCD plus vitamin D for 4 months. BM-MSCs were isolated and evaluated for P16INK4a, P38 MAPK, and Bmi-1 gene expression, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, SA-β-gal activity, and cell cycle profile at the end of both phases. After 26 weeks (first phase), the ROS level, SA-β-gal-positive cells, and cells in the G1 phase were significantly higher in HCD-fed rats than in NCD-fed ones (P < 0.05). HCD prescription did not significantly affect cells in the S and G2 phases (p > 0.05). Compared with the NCD-fed animals, P16INK4a and P38 MAPK gene expression were up-regulated in the HCD-fed animals; also, Bmi-1 gene expression was down-regulated (P < 0.05).BM-MSCs from vitamin D-treated rats (second phase) exhibited reduced mRNA levels of P16INK4a and P38 MAPK genes and increased Bmi-1 mRNA levels (all P<0.05). Vitamin D prescription also declined the percentage of SA-β-gal-positive cells, ROS levels, and the cells in the G1 phase and increased the cells in the S phase in both NCD and HCD-fed animals (P <0.05). The reduction of the cells in the G2 phase in rats fed with an NCD plus vitamin D was statistically non-significant (P=0.128) and significant in HCD plus vitamin D rats (P=0.002).HCD accelerates BM-MSCs senescence, and vitamin D reduces BM-MSCs senescence biomarkers.

Huangqin decoction alleviates lipid metabolism disorders and insulin resistance in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by triggering Sirt1/NF-κB pathway.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinicopathological entity characterized by intrahepatic ectopic steatosis. As a consequence of increased consumption of high-calorie diet and adoption of a sedentary lifestyle, the incidence of NAFLD has surpassed that of viral hepatitis, making it the most common cause of chronic liver disease globally. Huangqin decoction (HQD), a Chinese medicinal formulation that has been used clinically for thousands of years, has beneficial outcomes in patients with liver diseases, including NAFLD. However, the role and mechanism of action of HQD in lipid metabolism disorders and insulin resistance in NAFLD remain poorly understood. To evaluate the ameliorative effects of HQD in NAFLD, with a focus on lipid metabolism and insulin resistance, and to elucidate the underlying mechanism of action. High-fat diet-induced NAFLD rats and palmitic acid (PA)-stimulated HepG2 cells were used to investigate the effects of HQD and identify its potential mechanism of action. Phytochemicals in HQD were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to identify the key components. Ten primary chemical components of HQD were identified by HPLC analysis. In vivo, HQD effectively prevented rats from gaining body and liver weight, improved the liver index, ameliorated hepatic histological aberrations, decreased transaminase and lipid profile disorders, and reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory factors and insulin resistance. In vitro studies revealed that HQD effectively alleviated PA-induced lipid accumulation, inflammation, and insulin resistance in HepG2 cells. In-depth investigation revealed that HQD triggers Sirt1/NF-κB pathway-modulated lipogenesis and inflammation, contributing to its beneficial actions, which was further corroborated by the addition of the Sirt1 antagonist EX-527 that compromised the favorable effects of HQD. In summary, our study confirmed that HQD mitigates lipid metabolism disorders and insulin resistance in NAFLD by triggering the Sirt1/NF-κB pathway.

A High-Fat Diet Induces Cardiac Damage in Obesity-Resistant Rodents with Reduction in Metabolic Health.

Obesity resistance is associated with the complex interaction of stringent and environmental factors that confer the ability to resist mass gain and body fat deposition, even when eating high-calorie diets. Considering that there are numerous gaps in the literature on the metabolic processes that explain Obesity resistance, specifically in relation to oxidative stress, the purpose of the study was to investigate whether obesity-resistant (OR) rats develop elevated reactive oxygen species in cardiac tissue. Wistar rats were initially randomized into two groups: a standard diet (SD) and a high-fat diet (HFD) group. The SD and HFD groups were further divided into control (C), OR, and obese prone (OP) subgroups based on body weight. This criterion consisted of organizing the animals in each group in ascending order according to body weight (BW), and the cutoff point was identified in the animals by terciles: 1) lower BW; 2) intermediate BW; and 3) higher BW. Rats were sacrificed on the 14th week, and serum and organs were collected. Nutritional assessment, food profiles, histological analysis, comorbidities, and cardiovascular characteristics were determined. BW showed a significant difference between the standard diet and high-fat diet groups in the 4th week of the experimental protocol, characterizing obesity. In the 4th week, after the characterization of Obesity resistance, there was a significant difference in BW between groups C, OP, and OR. The OP and OR groups showed a significant increase in caloric intake in relation to the C group. The OP group showed a significant increase in final BW, retroperitoneal fat pad mass, sum of corporal fat deposits and reactive oxygen species, in relation to groups C and OR. The area under the glycemic curve, insulin resistance index and basal glucose were elevated in the OP group in relation to the C. OP also promoted an increase in HOMA-IR when compared with C. OR rats showed a non-significant increase in insulin and HOMA-IR in OR vs. C (p = ~0.1), but no significant differences were observed between OP vs. OR for these parameters, suggesting that both groups suffered from decreased metabolic health. Total cardiac mass, left ventricular cross-sectional area, and cholesterol levels were significantly elevated in the OP and OR groups compared with the C group. A high-fat diet induces cardiac damage in obesity-resistant rodents with reduction in metabolic health.

Oral bovine serum albumin administration alleviates inflammatory signals and improves antioxidant capacity and immune response under thioacetamide stress in blunt snout bream fed a high-calorie diet

This investigation looks at the impact of oral bovine serum albumin (BSA) on antioxidants, immune responses, and inflammation signals in blunt snout bream fed a high-calorie diet. 480 fish (average weight: 45.84 ± 0.07 g) were randomly fed a control diet, a high-fat diet (HFD), a high carbohydrate diet (HCD), and a high-energy diet (HED) in six replicates for 12 weeks. After the feeding trial, fish were orally administered with 10% BSA for 10 h, then blood and liver samples from five fish were randomly obtained after 10 h to determine plasma inflammatory markers and inorganic components. Also, the leftover fish were injected with thioacetamide, blood and liver samples were simultaneously obtained at 12, 48, and 96 h, respectively, to determine antioxidant, immune, and inflammatory signals, with survival rates recorded at the same time interval. After 10 h, plasma inflammatory markers such as tumour necrosis factors (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL6), nitric oxide (NO), Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1), and cortisol were significantly improved in fish fed HCD and HED as compared to the control. After thioacetamide stress, plasma lysozyme (LYM), complement 3, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and alkaline phosphatase activities, as well as immunoglobulin M, levels all increased significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing time with maximum value attained at 96 h, but shows no difference among dietary treatment. Similar results were observed in liver superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, but tended to reduce at 96 h. nf-kb, tnf-α, and mcp-1 tend to decrease with the minimum value attained at 48 h and gradually decrease with increasing time at 96 h. After 96 h of the thioacetamide (TAA) challenge, the survival rate of blunt snout bream fed with an HFD and HCD was significantly lower (P < 0.05) at 48, and 96 h before the administration of BSA. However, no differences were observed among dietary treatments after the BSA administration. Overall, this study indicated that oral dietary administration of BSA might greatly enhance the antioxidant capability and innate immunity and mitigates inflammation signals after TAA stress in blunt snout bream fed high energy diet.

Anti-hyperglycemic Effect of the Aqueous Extract of Carapa procera on Rats Submitted to a High-calorie Diet

Introduction: Remains today a metabolic disease that is gaining ground. It is linked to some health complications that lead to disastrous consequences in terms of loss of human life. It is necessary to take measures to stem this pathology. So, a plant species has been tested for its effect on hyperglycemia indicator of diabetes.&#x0D; Aim: Evaluate the anthyperglycemia effect of the aqueous extract of carapa procera bark.&#x0D; Methodology: The aqueous extract of the bark of Carapa procera was tested on rats subjected to a high-calorie diet and the biochemical parameters were evaluated. In addition, a phytochemical characterization was carried out.&#x0D; Results: The high-calorie diet caused an increase in weight as well as an increase of glycemia. The aqueous extract of Carapa procera stabilized the glycemia.&#x0D; Conclusion: Aqueous extract of Carapa procera has an antihyperglycemic activity.

Efficacy, safety and tolerability of high caloric diet in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundSeveral randomized clinical trials were done to determine whether supplementation with a high caloric diet, either through carbohydrate or lipid supplementation, is safe, tolerable and improves survival. However, most of these trials are small and the results are conflicting. MethodsRandomized prospective trials utilizing high caloric supplementation among patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) were searched using the terms [(“amyotrophic lateral sclerosis” or “motor neuron disease” or “ALS” or “MND”) and (“high calorie” or “high fat” or “high protein” or “high carbohydrate” or “supplementation”)] in Medline, Cochrane, Embase, Scopus, Prospero and Herdin by two independent neurologists. Journal articles deemed relevant were assessed for eligibility. Main resultsThere were 57 articles obtained from databases, 49 of which were excluded. Four articles were further excluded since all of them had different interventions. Overall, there were 311 ALS patients included in the study, 176 of them were from the intervention group while 135 were used as controls. Overall, high caloric supplementation in ALS was deemed safe and tolerable, and also when adverse events, tolerability and mortality are combined using meta-analysis. Although in most publications the efficacy of giving high caloric supplementation has been generally beneficial, some of the outcome parameters are not statistically different from controls when studies are combined using meta-analysis. ConclusionsCurrent evidence suggests that high calorie supplementation is generally safe and tolerable for patients with ALS. However, it has not been shown to be efficacious in improving weight and functional disability.

Protective Effects of the Leaf Aqueous Extract of Manihot Esculenta Crantz Against High-Calorie Diet Combined with Alcohol and Sucrose Ingestion Induced Hypertension in Rats

Manihot esculenta commonly known as cassava is widely distributed across the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, its leaves and tubers are commonly eaten by local populations, who often lend this plant the properties of a traditional medicine. The present study was aimed to evaluate the protective effects of the leaf aqueous extract of Manihot esculenta Crantz against high-calorie diet combined with alcohol and sucrose ingestion induced hypertension in rats. Male wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups of six rats each. Antihypertension activity was evaluated by daily oral administration of Manihot esculenta aqueous extract at the dose of 200 mg/kg bw to rats exposed to high fat/high sucrose diet and daily oral ingestion of sucrose (15%, 5 mL/kg) and ethanol (40°, 5 mL/kg). At the same time, the group 2 or positive control group received high fat/high sucrose diet and daily oral ingestion of sucrose (15%, 5 mL/kg) and ethanol (40°, 5 mL/kg). The last group received standard diet and distilled water (5 mL/kg, orally). During the experimental period (8 weeks), the body weight of animals was daily recorded while the glycaemia was measured every two weeks. The hemodynamic (blood pressure and heart beat) and some serum markers of lipid profile (Triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol), endothelial (NO) and liver functions (AST and ALT) as well as oxidative stress parameters (SOD, CAT, GSH, MDA and TBARS) in the serum and aorta were measured at the end of the study. Our results indicated that Manihot esculenta aqueous extract significantly reduced the body weight gain, diastolic blood pressure, aorta diameter, glycaemia, of animals submitted to both oral administration of sucrose, ethanol and high fat fat/high sucrose diet, and plant extract. Moreover, the administration of Manihot esculenta extract improved the vasodilatation by increasing the endothelial NO secretion. Furthermore, the treatment with this extract improved the balance of the oxidative stress markers and the level of triglyceride, cholesterol and transaminases. Thereby, these results suggest that the leaf aqueous extract of Manihot esculenta could have protective effects against hypertension induced by high-calorie diet combined with alcohol and sucrose ingestion in rats.

The effect on the organism of rats of adding Helichrysum arenarium inflorescences to a hypercaloric diet, high in sugar and fat

Obesity increases the risk of developing various pathological conditions such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular disease. For mild correction and even treatment of obesity, drugs based on medicinal plants are increasingly being used. This work aims to determine the overall effect of Helichrysum arenarium inflorescences on physiological activity and metabolic processes in model animals fed a diet rich in fat and carbohydrates. In a 27-day experiment on 18 laboratory rats fed a diet with high-fat content and 20% fructose solution, we determined the effect of 0.4% and 4.0% dry inflorescences of H. arenarium from the feed mass on the animals' physiological activity and metabolic processes. The body weight of rats in the control group reached 121.7% of the initial body weight; when consuming 0.4% and 4.0% H. arenarium in the diet, this indicator was lower – 109.6% and 111.2%, respectively. Dry inflorescences of H. arenarium in the rats’ diet at a dose of 0.4% caused a decrease in the relative mass of the heart and thymus and an increase in the relative mass of the caecum and colon. A diet with the addition of H. arenarium caused a change in blood biochemical parameters: an increase in the urea concentration and urea nitrogen, and a decrease in the glucose concentration and protein coefficient. Helichrysum arenarium at both concentrations significantly increased the gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase activity with a decrease in alpha-amylase activity in the blood. A 0.4% dose of inflorescences of the food mass caused a decrease in AST activity, and 200 g sharply increased blood ALT activity. The consumption of dried H. arenarium inflorescences decreased hematocrit, haemoglobin concentration, erythrocyte and platelet counts, and increased the percentage of eosinophils and monocytes. A decrease in physical activity and an intensification of emotional state were found in the animals after eating dry inflorescences of H. arenarium, regardless of the dose compared with the control group of animals. Significant changes in the orientation activity of the animals were not observed. The obtained results show that adding dry H. arenarium inflorescences as a food supplement to a high-calorie diet is safe, does not cause pathological changes and side effects, and significantly affects metabolic processes. This provides theoretical support for the use of dried H. arenarium inflorescences for the production of nutraceutical and pharmacological products for the correction of metabolic disorders in humans and animals. The doses and duration of their use require further research.

Impact of a high-calorie diet on liver and kidneys in Wistar rats

Impact of a high-calorie diet on liver and kidneys in Wistar rats

Obesity, gut microbiota, and multiple sclerosis: Unraveling the connection.

Obesity is associated with chronic mild-grade systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation. Obesity in early childhood and adolescence is also a significant risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS) development. However, the underlying mechanisms that explain the link between obesity and MS development are not fully explored. An increasing number of studies call attention to the importance of gut microbiota as a leading environmental risk factor mediating inflammatory central nervous system demyelination, particularly in MS. Obesity and high-calorie diet are also associated with disturbances in gut microbiota. Therefore, gut microbiota alteration is a plausible connection between obesity and the increased risk of MS development. A greater understanding of this connection could provide additional therapeutic opportunities, like dietary interventions, microbiota-derived products, and exogenous antibiotics and probiotics. This review summarizes the current evidence regarding the relationships between MS, obesity, and gut microbiota. We discuss gut microbiota as a potential link between obesity and increased risk for MS. Additional experimental studies and controlled clinical trials targeting gut microbiota are warranted to unravel the possible causal relationship between obesity and increased risk of MS.

Metabolic mitochondrial alterations prevail in the female rat heart 8 weeks after exercise cessation.

The consumption of high-caloric diets strongly contributes to the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Exercise (along with diet intervention) is one of the primary non-pharmacological approaches to promote a healthier lifestyle and counteract the rampant prevalence of NCDs. The present study evaluated the effects of exercise cessation after a short period training on the cardiac metabolic and mitochondrial function of female rats. Seven-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a control or a high-fat, high-sugar (HFHS) diet and, after 7 weeks, the animals were kept on a sedentary lifestyle or submitted to endurance exercise for 3 weeks (6 days per week, 20-60 min/day). The cardiac samples were analysed 8 weeks after exercise cessation. The consumption of the HFHS diet triggered impaired glucose tolerance, whereas the HFHS diet and physical exercise resulted in different responses in plasma adiponectin and leptin levels. Cardiac mitochondrial respiration efficiency was decreased by the HFHS diet consumption, which led to reduced ATP and increased NAD(P)H mitochondrial levels, which remained prevented by exercise 8 weeks after cessation. Exercise training-induced cardiac adaptations in redox balance, namely increased relative expression of Nrf2 and downstream antioxidant enzymes persist after an eight-week exercise cessation period. Endurance exercise modulated cardiac redox balance and mitochondrial efficiency in female rats fed a HFHS diet. These findings suggest that exercise may elicit cardiac adaptations crucial for its role as a non-pharmacological intervention for individuals at risk of developing NCDs.

Gut microbiome and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease: Current status and potential applications.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases worldwide. In recent years, the occurrence rate of MAFLD has been on the rise, mainly due to lifestyle changes, high-calorie diets, and imbalanced dietary structures, thereby posing a threat to human health and creating heavy social and economic burdens. With the development of 16S sequencing and integrated multi-omics analysis, the role of the gut microbiota (GM) and its metabolites in MAFLD has been further recognized. The GM plays a role in digestion, energy metabolism, vitamin synthesis, the prevention of pathogenic bacteria colonisation, and immunoregulation. The gut-liver axis is one of the vital links between the GM and the liver. Toxic substances in the intestine can enter the liver through the portal vascular system when the intestinal barrier is severely damaged. The liver also influences the GM in various ways, such as bile acid circulation. The gut-liver axis is essential in maintaining the body's normal physiological state and plays a role in the onset and prognosis of many diseases, including MAFLD. This article reviews the status of the GM and MAFLD and summarizes the GM characteristics in MAFLD. The relationship between the GM and MAFLD is discussed in terms of bile acid circulation, energy metabolism, micronutrients, and signalling pathways. Current MAFLD treatments targeting the GM are also listed.

Effect of Solanum Sessiliflorum Dunal (Maná-cubiu) Extract in Diet-induced Metabolic Syndrome in Rats

Obesity is a multifactorial disease, defined by the excessive accumulation of body fat, causing negative consequences for health. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is characterized by the association between abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Experimental models are essential to elucidate the pathophysiology, development, and treatment of the disease. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of man&amp;aacute;-cubiu extract (Solanum sessiliflorum Dunal) in experimental models of diet-induced MS. Male Wistar rats received a high-fat, high-calorie diet for 24 weeks, with exception of the healthy control group, which received commercial AIN-93 chow, and both groups were supplied with filtered water. After this period, the animals began to receive daily gavages containing 150 mg of extract/kg or 300 mg of extract/kg for another 8 weeks. The control group received only metformin (150mg/kg). Body weight, bioelectrical impedance (BIA), body circumferences and the Lee index were used to assess body composition. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee under protocol n&amp;ordm; 501. The experimental group treated with 150mg/kg of the extract showed weight reduction in the first month of treatment, followed by an average reduction of 54 grams per animal. The group treated with 300mg/kg of the extract suffered weight reduction only after the second month of treatment (on average 9g/animal). This same group and the group treated with metformin were the only ones to reduce the percentage of body fat, comparing the two evaluation moments. The results suggest that man&amp;aacute;-cubiu has a potential therapeutic use in obesity, and that the evaluation methods in animal models need to be better standardized.

Hepatic Clstn3 Ameliorates Lipid Metabolism Disorders in High Fat Diet-Induced NAFLD through Activation of FXR.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become serious liver disease all over the world. At present, NAFLD caused by high calorie and fat diet is increasing. Calsyntenin-3 (Clstn3) is a transmembrane protein that has recently been found to participate in lipid energy metabolism. But whether Clstn3 affects NAFLD lipid metabolism has not been analyzed. We stimulate the mice primary hepatocytes (MPHs) with oleic acid and palmitic acid (OA&PA) to establish a cell model. Then, potential targets, including Clstn3 gene, were validated for improving lipid metabolism disorder in NAFLD model mice (HFD and db/db) by silencing and overexpressing hepatic Clstn3. Moreover, the effects of Clstn3 on lipid homeostasis were determined by functional determination, triglyceride (TG) levels, total cholesterol (TC) levels, ELISA, and qRT-PCR detection. Our results displayed that Clstn3 was decreased in the NAFLD mice model. Also, overexpression of Clstn3 improved lipid metabolism disorders, gluconeogenesis, and energy homeostasis and reduced liver injury, inflammation, and oxidative stress injury. However, opposite results were obtained in Clstn3-silencing mice, suggesting that the Clstn3 gene is closely related to lipid metabolism disorder in NAFLD. RNAseq expression demonstrated that Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) expression was increased after overexpression of Clstn3. Clstn3 supplementation in FXRKO mice can improve the dysfunction caused by insufficient FXR, suggesting that Clstn3 can improve the NAFLD lipid metabolism disorder to some extent through FXR, which may provide a new method for the treatment of NAFLD.