Relative Adipose Tissue Weight Research Articles

Maternal α-casein deficiency extends the lifespan of offspring and programmes their body composition.

Early nutrition has significant effects on physiological outcomes during adult life. We have analysed the effect of maternal α-casein (CSN1S1) deficiency on the physiological fate of dams and their offspring. α-casein deficiency reduces maternal milk protein concentration by more than 50% and attenuates the growth of pups to 27% (p < 0.001) of controls at the point of weaning. This is associated with a permanent reduction in adult body weight (- 31% at 25weeks). Offspring nursed by α-casein deficient dams showed a significantly increased lifespan (+ 20%, χ2: 10.6; p = 0.001). Liver transcriptome analysis of offspring nursed by α-casein deficient dams at weaning revealed gene expression patterns similar to those found in dwarf mice (reduced expression of somatotropic axis signalling genes, increased expression of xenobiotic metabolism genes). In adult mice, the expression of somatotropic axis genes returned to control levels. This demonstrates that, in contrast to dwarf mice, attenuation of the GH-IGF signalling axis in offspring nursed by α-casein deficient dams is transient, while the changes in body size and lifespan are permanent. Offspring nursed by α-casein deficient dams showed permanent changes in body composition. Absolute and relative adipose tissue weights (p < 0.05), the percentage of body fat (p < 0.001) as well as adipocyte size in epididymal white adipose tissue are all reduced. Serum leptin levels were 25% of those found in control mice (p < 0.001). Liver lipid content and lipid composition were significantly altered in response to postnatal nutrition. This demonstrates the nutrition in early life programmes adult lipid metabolism, body composition and lifespan.

Leucine supplementation in maternal high-fat diet alleviated adiposity and glucose intolerance of adult mice offspring fed a postweaning high-fat diet

BackgroundCombined maternal and postnatal high-fat (HF) diet intake predisposes offspring to metabolic dysregulation during adulthood. As the inhibitory effects of leucine consumption on obesity and metabolic disorders have been reported, the effects of maternal leucine supplementation on metabolic dysregulation in adult offspring were investigated.MethodsFemale mice were exposed to a control (C) or HF diet, with or without leucine (L) supplementation (1.5%, w/v), 3 weeks before mating, during pregnancy, and during lactation (C, CL, HF, and HFL). Male offspring were exposed to an HF diet for 12 weeks after weaning (C/HF, CL/HF, HF/HF, and HFL/HF). Serum biochemical parameters were determined for both the dams and offspring. Oral glucose tolerance test and qRT-PCR analysis were used to investigate metabolic dysregulation in the offspring.ResultsHFL dams exhibited higher relative adipose tissue weights than HF dams. Body weight, relative adipose tissue weight, and serum glucose levels were lower in the HFL/HF offspring than in the HF/HF offspring. Maternal leucine supplementation tended to alleviate glucose intolerance in the offspring of HF diet-fed dams. Additionally, mRNA levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a hepatokine associated with glucose homeostasis, were higher in HFL/HF offspring than in HF/HF offspring and were negatively correlated with adiposity and serum glucose levels. The mRNA levels of genes encoding a FGF21 receptor complex, Fgf receptor 1 and klotho β, and its downstream targets, proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ co‐activator 1α and sirtuin 1, were higher in adipose tissues of the HFL/HF offspring than in those of the HF/HF offspring. Serum lipid peroxide levels were lower in HFL dams than in HF dams and positively correlated with body and adipose tissue weights of offspring.ConclusionsLeucine supplementation in HF diet-fed dams, but not in control diet-fed dams, resulted in an anti-obesity phenotype accompanied by glucose homeostasis in male offspring challenged with postnatal HF feeding. Activation of FGF21 signaling in the adipose tissue of offspring may be responsible for these beneficial effects of leucine.

Soyasaponin ameliorates obesity and reduces hepatic triacylglycerol accumulation by suppressing lipogenesis in high-fat diet-fed mice.

Soyasaponins are triterpenoid glycosides found in soybean. We investigated whether soyasaponin ameliorates lipid metabolism and its possible mechanisms. In C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD), soyasaponin (SAP) was orally administered for 9weeks. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of soyasapogenols on 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In HFD-fed mice, the SAP significantly reduced body weight by 7% and relative adipose tissue weight by 35%. X-ray computed tomography demonstrated that the SAP reduced visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue weights during week 3 of feeding. The SAP reduced sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) mRNA levels by 32% in the epididymal adipose tissue, significantly decreasing the triacylglycerol (TAG) content by 37% and SREBP-1c and fatty acid synthase mRNA levels by 52% and 61%, respectively, in the liver. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, soyasapogenol B significantly decreased lipid droplets. The SAP containing soyasaponin A and B as conjugates demonstrate anti-obesity effects by suppressing adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis, with a preventive effect on hepatic TAG accumulation by suppressing lipogenesis. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Soyasaponin is one of the oleanane triterpenoids in soybeans. We have demonstrated that soyasaponin potently reduces body weight and white adipose tissue weight, and hepatic triacylglycerol accumulation in high-fat diet-fed mice. Thus, soyasaponin is a beneficial compound to prevent obesity and fatty liver.

Neonatal administration of kaempferol does not alter satiety but increases somatic growth and reduces adiposity in offspring of high-fat diet dams

AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of maternal exposure to a high-fat diet associated with neonatal administration of kaempferol on somatic growth, biochemical profile and feeding behavior in offspring. Materials and methodsWistar rats were distributed according to diet during pregnancy and lactation into Control (C; 3.4 kcal/g; 12% kcal/lipids) or High-fat (HFD; 4.6 kcal/g; 51% kcal/lipids) groups. In the offspring, vehicle (V) or kaempferol (K, 1 mg/kg) were administered from the 8th until the 21st postnatal day (PND). Maternal body weight (BW), caloric intake and adiposity were measured. In the offspring, somatic growth parameters were evaluated on the 7th, 14th, 21st, 25th and 30th PND, except for BW, which was measured from the 8th to the 21st and from the 25th to the 30th PND. Feeding behavior was assessed by food intake and behavioral satiety sequence (BSS) on the 30th PND. The biochemical profile and relative weight of adipose tissue of offspring were also measured. Key findingsDams exposed to HFD showed no difference in body weight and caloric intake but exhibited increased adiposity. Neonatal administration of kaempferol increased body weight after weaning and somatic growth in the offspring of HFD dams. Neonatal kaempferol also reduced adiposity and serum creatinine levels in offspring. Neither maternal diet nor kaempferol altered offspring feeding behavior. SignificanceNeonatal administration of kaempferol promotes increased somatic growth post-weaning, reduces adiposity, and does not alter feeding behavior in offspring from high-fat dams.

Maternal Deprivation and Sex Alter Central Levels of Neurotrophins and Inflammatory Cytokines in Rats Exposed to Palatable Food in Adolescence

Maternal deprivation (MD) in rodents is used to simulate human-infant early life stress, which leads to neural, hormonal, and behavioral alterations. Palatable food (PF) can reduce the stress response, and individuals use it as a self-applied stress relief method. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the association between MD in the early life (P1–P10) and PF consumption (condensed milk, P21–P44) in the central neuroplasticity (BDNF/NGF levels) and central neuroinflammatory parameters (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 levels) in male and female Wistar rats in the adolescence. In addition, weight-related parameters (weight gain, Lee Index, and relative adipose tissue weight) were evaluated. PF exposure increased relative adipose tissue weight; however, it did not lead to a change in animals’ body weight. MD reduced hypothalamic BDNF and NGF levels, and hippocampal TNF-α levels in male and female rats. Animals of both sexes that received PF, exhibited reduced hypothalamic NGF levels. Neuroinflammatory marker evaluations showed that male rats were more susceptible to the interventions than female rats, since MD reduced their cortical IL-10 levels and PF increased their IL-6 levels. Differences in the Lee index, central BDNF, TNF-α, and IL-6levels were observed between sexes. Male animals per se presented greater Lee index. Female rats had higher BDNF and IL-6 levels in the hippocampus and hypothalamus and higher hypothalamic TNF-α levels than those observed in males. In conclusion, there were more noticeable effects of MD than PF on the variables measured in this study. Sex effect was identified as an important factor and influenced most of the neurochemical measures in this study. In this way, we suggest including both female and male animals in researches to improve the quality of translational studies.

Rice bran attenuated obesity via alleviating dyslipidemia, browning of white adipocytes and modulating gut microbiota in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

Obesity has become an international public health problem. In this study, an obese mice diet was supplemented with raw rice bran (RRB) or infrared radiation-stabilized rice bran (IRRB) to investigate the attenuation of obesity induced by a high-fat diet. Mice were fed a normal diet or a high-fat diet with and without rice bran supplementation (300 mg per kg body weight per day) by oral gavage for 39 days to investigate the obesity preventive effect. The results indicate that different rice bran supplements reduced body weight, relative adipose tissue weight, inflammation, and serum parameters, and relieve liver steatosis to varying degrees. The data of real-time qPCR and western blots (WB) showed that rice bran activated brown adipose tissue (BAT) and increased white adipose tissue (WAT) browning. Rice bran also reduced the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes and enhanced the relative abundance of Akkermansia. In summary, our findings suggest that rice bran intervention played a significant role in reducing dyslipidemia, alleviating inflammation, enhancing thermogenesis and modulating gut microbiota for the prevention and control of obesity.

Effects of Nannochloropsis Fed on Serum and Tissue Lipids Metabolism in Obese Offspring of Overfed Dams

Background: The present work aims at determining the effects of maternal-diet-induced obesity on offspring metabolism. The short-term of a marine microalgae diet and its effects on lipids metabolism was investigated. &lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt; Method: Before gestation, some rats are fed control diet and others cafeteria diet. Moreover, two groups of dams were fed standard and cafeteria diets, and two other groups were fed the same diets but containing 10% of microalgae. This feeding started at gestation, and continued throughout parturition, lactation until their offspring&amp;#039;s weaning age. &lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt; Results: Cafeteria diet was shown to increase the body weight and visceral obesity, with aberration in lipid metabolism. The results obtained show that the microalgae diet supplement induces a significant decrease in the maternal body weight and relative adipose tissue weight, plasma glucose and lipid levels, liver-triglyceride (TG) and adipose tissue-TG at parturition and at the end of lactation. Also, the addition of the microalgae in both males and female offspring fed dams at birth and weaning showed significant decrease in body weight, liver-TG whereas significant increase in TG-HDL. &lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt; Conclusion: In the end, it was noted that the incorporation of 10% of microalgae has a beneficial effect on body weight and lipid metabolism.

Physiological response in the even-toothed shrew Sorex isodon to fasting and refeeding

The red-toothed shrews (genus Sorex) are one of the smallest mammals. The amount of food they consume a day exceeds their own weight, and without food they can survive for only few hours. Representatives of this genus have extremely high metabolic rates. This study addressed the effect of 8-h fasting and 13-h refeeding on the body weight, blood glucose level, liver glycogen and lipid levels, and relative weight of inguinal and interscapular adipose tissues in the even-toothed shrews (S. isodon). Fasting led to a decrease in the body weight, blood glucose and liver glycogen levels. The relative weight of adipose tissue also decreased, while the liver lipid level increased significantly. After refeeding, blood glucose and liver glycogen levels were considerably higher than in control, while other parameters remained almost the same as in control. Physiological response to fasting develops in S. isodon quite rapidly, promoted by the high metabolic rate.

N-(D-Ribopyranosyl)Taurine Sodium Salt Has Anti-obesity Effect in Diet-Induced Obesity and Taurine Deficiency Rat Model.

N-(d-Ribopyranosyl)taurine sodium salt (T-Rib) is a new compound synthesized with taurine and ribose. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of T-Rib supplementation in diet-induced obesity and in a taurine deficiency model. β-alanine was supplemented for induction of taurine deficiency by dissolving in tap water (3 % w/w). Four week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven groups with eight rats in each group for a period of 6 weeks: N group, normal diet; HF group, high-fat diet; HFT group, high-fat diet + taurine (4 mmol/kg/day); HFA group, high-fat diet + β-alanine; HFR2 group, high-fat diet + β-alanine + T-Rib (2 mmol/kg/day); HFR4 group, high-fat diet + β-alanine + T-Rib (4 mmol/kg/day); HFR6 group, high-fat diet + β-alanine + T-Rib (6 mmol/kg/day). Taurine and T-Rib were orally administered to the HFT and HFR groups. Body weight gain, relative adipose tissue weight and size of adipocytes in the HF and HFA groups increased significantly compared to the N group. However, T-Rib supplementation significantly suppressed body weight gain and relative adipose tissue weights. In addition, average sizes of adipocytes in HFR groups were smaller than those of the HF and HFA groups. Total and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations in the HFT and HFR groups were significantly improved compared with the HF and HFA groups. These results suggest that both T-Rib and taurine supplementation may have an anti-obesity effect and T-Rib may be more effective than taurine in diet-induced obesity and in a taurine deficiency rat model.

1,3-Dichloro-2-propanol induced hyperlipidemia in C57BL/6J mice via AMPK signaling pathway

1,3-Dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP) is a well-known contaminant that has been detected in a wide range of foods. Dietary intake represents the greatest source of exposure to 1,3-DCP. In the study, we first found 1,3-DCP could induce hyperlipidemia in C57BL/6J mice below 1mg/kg/day. We investigated serum lipid profile, liver total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG), histopathology of Liver and adipose tissue. The results showed 1,3-DCP dose dependently increased serum TG, TC and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), decreased serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), increased relative liver weight, liver TG and TC, relative adipose tissue weight and enlarged the size of adipose cells. Because AMPK signal pathway is important in the process of lipid metabolism, we further investigated the effects of 1,3-DCP on AMPK signaling pathway in murine models. The results showed that 1,3-DCP (0.1–1mg/kg/day) decreased p-AMPK/tAMPK ratio, p-ACC/tACC ratio, PPARα expression, but increased FAT, SREBP1, HMGCR and FAS expression. These observations indicated that 1,3-DCP induced hyperlipidemia in C57BL/6J mice at least partially through regulating AMPK signaling pathway.

Maternal consumption of soy protein isolate alters lipid metabolism of adult rat offspring fed ethanol diet

Previously, we observed that maternal consumption of soy protein isolate (SPI) affects lipid metabolism and cell proliferation of liver in three‐week‐old male rat offspring. Therefore, we investigated whether the adaptive responses of the offspring to environmental factors potentially affect the development of liver disease later in life. In the present study, female Sprague Dawley rats were fed a casein diet (CAS: 200 g/kg diet) or a low‐isoflavone SPI diet (SPI: 200 g/kg) for two weeks before mating, and during pregnancy and lactation. Male offspring was fed a regular chow diet until 8 weeks of age, and then pairs of offspring were fed control or alcohol liquid diet for 6 weeks. Ethanol ingestion significantly increased the relative liver weight and reduced the relative adipose tissue weight in both CAS and SPI groups. Serum GOT levels and hepatic SAM/SAH ratio were also significantly changed in offspring fed ethanol liquid diet. We observed significant interaction of maternal diet and ethanol feeding in serum triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. Maternal consumption of SPI reduced serum triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in offspring fed ethanol diet. Our data suggest that maternal consumption of SPI may program the offspring's susceptibility to the later development of alcoholic liver disease by altering lipid metabolism. This work was supported by a grant from Korea Research Foundation.

Time course of changes in serum oxidant/antioxidant status in overfed obese rats and their offspring

The aim of the present study was to determine the time course of changes in oxidant/antioxidant status, as well as serum glucose, insulin, leptin and lipid levels, liver adipose tissue and muscle lipid and protein contents, in cafeteria-diet-fed dams during gestation and lactation, and in their offspring throughout adulthood. Food intake was also evaluated. The cafeteria diet induced a significant increase in maternal body and relative adipose tissue weights, daily energy intake, and plasma glucose, insulin, leptin and lipid levels at parturition (day 0) and at the end of lactation (day 21). Plasma total antioxidant status [ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity)], erythrocyte catalase and SOD (superoxide dismutase) activities were lower, whereas plasma hydroperoxide and carbonyl protein levels were higher in cafeteria-diet-fed mothers compared with control mothers at days 0 and 21. Pups from cafeteria-diet-fed dams, both males and females, also had consistently higher body and relative adipose tissue weights, and plasma glucose, insulin, leptin, triacylglycerol (triglyceride) and cholesterol levels at birth (day 0), weaning (day 21) and 3 months of age (day 90). These offspring had significantly lower ORAC and catalase activity, and higher plasma hydroperoxide and carbonyl protein levels and SOD activity at birth, at days 21 and 90 compared with control offspring. In conclusion, excessive maternal fat and energy intake can play an important role in the development of metabolic disorders in the offspring. Maternal oxidative stress may be among the responsible factors. Fetal oxidative stress may present an additional confounding influence and probably contributes to additional disorders, aggravating features of the metabolic syndrome. An improvement in maternal oxidant/antioxidant status during pregnancy and lactation, with adequate nutrition, could have beneficial effects on the progeny.

Adipose tissue loss in adjuvant arthritis is associated with a decrease in lipogenesis, but not with an increase in lipolysis

Adjuvant-induced arthritis is a model of rheumatoid arthritis that induces cachexia. In other cachectic situations, there is an increase in lipolysis resulting in a loss of adipose tissue mass. The aim of this work was to analyse the effect of chronic arthritis, induced by adjuvant injection, on white adipose tissue (WAT). For this purpose, rats were killed 10 days after adjuvant injection, when the first external symptoms appeared, on days 15 and 22 when the external signs of the illness reach their severest level. As arthritis decreases food intake, a pair-fed group was also included. Serum concentrations of insulin, leptin, adiponectin, glycerol and nitrites, as well as gene expression of leptin, adiponectin, hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), fatty acid synthase (FAS), tumour necrosis factor alpha and zinc-alpha(2)-glycoprotein (ZAG) were determined. Arthritis decreased food intake between days 5 and 16, but not during the last 5 days of the experiment. There was a marked decrease in relative adipose tissue weight and in serum leptin and adiponectin as well as in their gene expression in WAT in arthritic rats. Arthritis decreased the gene expression of FAS in the WAT. However, none of these effects was found in pair-fed rats. Arthritis did not increase lipolysis, since arthritic rats have lower serum concentrations of glycerol, HSL mRNA in WAT, as well as liver ZAG mRNA than the pair-fed or control rats. These data suggest that in chronic arthritis the decrease in white adipose mass is secondary to a reduced adipose lipogenesis, and this effect is not mainly due to the decrease in food intake.

Gender modifies the relationship between weight increase during adult life and fasting plasma glucose in obese-overweight subjects

Maternal deprivation (MD) in rodents is used to simulate human-infant early life stress, which leads to neural, hormonal, and behavioral alterations. Palatable food (PF) can reduce the stress response, and individuals use it as a self-applied stress relief method. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the association between MD in the early life (P1–P10) and PF consumption (condensed milk, P21–P44) in the central neuroplasticity (BDNF/NGF levels) and central neuroinflammatory parameters (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 levels) in male and female Wistar rats in the adolescence. In addition, weight-related parameters (weight gain, Lee Index, and relative adipose tissue weight) were evaluated. PF exposure increased relative adipose tissue weight; however, it did not lead to a change in animals’ body weight. MD reduced hypothalamic BDNF and NGF levels, and hippocampal TNF-α levels in male and female rats. Animals of both sexes that received PF, exhibited reduced hypothalamic NGF levels. Neuroinflammatory marker evaluations showed that male rats were more susceptible to the interventions than female rats, since MD reduced their cortical IL-10 levels and PF increased their IL-6 levels. Differences in the Lee index, central BDNF, TNF-α, and IL-6levels were observed between sexes. Male animals per se presented greater Lee index. Female rats had higher BDNF and IL-6 levels in the hippocampus and hypothalamus and higher hypothalamic TNF-α levels than those observed in males. In conclusion, there were more noticeable effects of MD than PF on the variables measured in this study. Sex effect was identified as an important factor and influenced most of the neurochemical measures in this study. In this way, we suggest including both female and male animals in researches to improve the quality of translational studies.

Long-term growth hormone excess induces marked alterations in lipoprotein metabolism in mice.

The effects of long-term chronic growth hormone (GH) excess on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism were investigated in 8-mo-old bovine GH (bGH)-transgenic mice. Total body weight, serum cholesterol, insulin-like growth factor-I, and insulin levels were higher, whereas serum levels of glucose, free fatty acids, and triglycerides were lower in transgenic mice. Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol levels were lower, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels were higher, in transgenic mice irrespective of gender, whereas only transgenic male mice had higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Total serum apolipoprotein B (apoB) levels were not affected, but the amount of apoB in the LDL fraction was higher in transgenic mice. Hepatic LDL receptor expression was unchanged, whereas apoB mRNA editing and hepatic triglyceride secretion rate were reduced in bGH-transgenic male mice. Both lipoprotein lipase activity in adipose and heart tissue and beta-adrenergic-stimulated lipolysis were increased in transgenic male mice. The relative weight of adipose tissue was lower in transgenic mice, whereas hepatic triglyceride content was unchanged. Fat feeding of the mice equalized serum triglycerides and free fatty acids in bGH-transgenic and control mice. In summary, long-term GH excess is associated with marked alterations in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, indicating decreased production and increased degradation of VLDL and preferential flux of fatty acids to muscle tissues.

Viscous Indigestible Polysaccharides Reduce Accumulation of Pentachlorobenzene in Rats

To investigate an effect of indigestible polysaccharides (cellulose as control, sodium alginate, guar gum or lambda-carrageenan) on the accumulation of pentachlorobenzene, male Sprague Dawley rats were fed experimental diets containing 5 g/100 g of these polysaccharides for 2 wk. They were then given orally 80 mumol (20 mg) of pentachlorobenzene along with their respective diets and the residual pentachlorobenzene was determined after 7 d. The ingestion of the viscous indigestible polysaccharides resulted in significantly lower accumulation of pentachlorobenzene in adipose tissue, liver and kidney than that found in rats fed a cellulose diet. Soon (5 h) after pentachlorobenzene administration, its concentration in the blood of rats fed sodium alginate and guar gum was higher than that of rats fed cellulose, but lower in the groups fed all three viscous polysaccharides after d 3. These results indicate that pentachlorobenzene excretion was increased by the ingestion of viscous indigestible polysaccharides. Lower relative weight of adipose tissue, a storage tissue for pentachlorobenzene, was found in the rats fed sodium alginate and guar gum. The lower adipose tissue mass was likely the main contributor to the enhancement of pentachlorobenzene excretion.