(‐)‐Epicatechin improves body composition of male rats descendant of obese mothers postnatally fed with a high‐fat diet

Angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) is a protective hormone of the renin-angiotensin system that improves insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, and energy balance in obese rodents. Our recent findings suggest that Ang-(1-7) activates mas receptors (MasR) in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC), a brain region critical to control of energy balance and glucose homeostasis, to induce these positive metabolic effects. The distribution of MasR in the ARC and their role in metabolic regulation, however, is unknown. We hypothesized: (1) MasR are expressed in the ARC; and (2) deletion of ARC MasR leads to worsened metabolic outcomes following high fat diet (HFD). To test this, male and female C57Bl/6J mice were fed a 60% HFD or matched control diet ad libitum for 12 weeks. RNAscope in situ hybridization was performed on coronal ARC sections in rostral-middle-caudal regions to determine percentage of MasR positive neurons (n=5/group). In a second experiment, we assessed body composition and insulin and glucose tolerance in transgenic mice with deletion of MasR in ARC neurons (MasR-flox with AAV5-hsyn-GFP-Cre). RNAscope revealed a wide distribution on MasR-positive cells throughout the rostral to caudal extent of the ARC. The average percentage of MasR positive neurons was increased in females versus males, with HFD tending to increase MasR expression in both sexes (control diet male: 11±2; control diet female: 17±3; HFD male: 15±5; HFD female: 24±2; p sex : 0.030; p diet : 0.066; p int : 0.615; two-way ANOVA). Deletion of MasR in ARC neurons worsened insulin sensitivity in HFD but not control diet females (area under the curve for change in glucose from baseline: -1989±1359 HFD control virus vs. 2530±1762 HFD Cre virus; p=0.016), while fasting glucose, glucose tolerance, and body composition did not change. There was no effect of ARC MasR deletion on metabolic outcomes in control diet or HFD male mice. These findings suggest females have more MasR positive neurons in the ARC compared to males, which may be a sex-specific protective mechanism for glucose homeostasis. While further studies are needed to explore the role of ARC MasR in metabolic regulation, these findings support targeting Ang-(1-7) as an innovative strategy in obesity.

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Reduction of histamine H1 receptor binding induced by high-fat diet can be prevented by DHA and dietary fiber in specific brain areas of male rats

Brain Research Bulletin ◽

10.1016/j.brainresbull.2013.06.003 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 97 ◽

pp. 119-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Zhixiang Wu ◽

Yinghua Yu ◽

Yizhen Wu ◽

Craig Patch ◽

Alexander Szabo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dietary Fiber ◽

Receptor Binding ◽

High Fat Diet ◽

Male Rats ◽

High Fat ◽

H1 Receptor ◽

Brain Areas ◽

Histamine H1 Receptor

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Effects of a Mixed Limosilactobacillus fermentum Formulation with Claimed Probiotic Properties on Cardiometabolic Variables, Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Male Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10092202 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 2202

Author(s):

Micaelle Oliveira de Luna Freire ◽

Luciana Caroline Paulino do Nascimento ◽

Kataryne Árabe Rimá de Oliveira ◽

Alisson Macário de Oliveira ◽

Thiago Henrique Napoleão ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

High Fat Diet ◽

Control Diet ◽

Male Rats ◽

Control Group ◽

Low Grade ◽

Probiotic Properties ◽

High Fat ◽

Low Grade Inflammation ◽

And Oxidative Stress

High-fat diet (HFD) consumption has been linked to dyslipidemia, low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress. This study investigated the effects of a mixed formulation with Limosilactobacillusfermentum 139, L. fermentum 263 and L. fermentum 296 on cardiometabolic parameters, fecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) contents and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in colon and heart tissues of male rats fed an HFD. Male Wistar rats were grouped into control diet (CTL, n = 6), HFD (n = 6) and HFD with L. fermentum formulation (HFD-Lf, n = 6) groups. The L.fermentum formulation (1 × 109 CFU/mL of each strain) was administered twice a day for 4 weeks. After a 4-week follow-up, biochemical parameters, fecal SCFA, cytokines and oxidative stress variables were evaluated. HFD consumption caused hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, low-grade inflammation, reduced fecal acetate and propionate contents and increased biomarkers of oxidative stress in colon and heart tissues when compared to the CTL group. Rats receiving the L. fermentum formulation had reduced hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia, but similar SCFA contents in comparison with the HFD group (p < 0.05). Rats receiving the L. fermentum formulation had increased antioxidant capacity throughout the colon and heart tissues when compared with the control group. Administration of a mixed L. fermentum formulation prevented hyperlipidemia, inflammation and oxidative stress in colon and heart tissues induced by HFD consumption.

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Maternal separation enhances anticontractile perivascular adipose tissue function in male rats on a high-fat diet

AJP Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpregu.00197.2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 315 (6) ◽

pp. R1085-R1095 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Analia S. Loria ◽

Frank T. Spradley ◽

Ijeoma E. Obi ◽

Bryan K. Becker ◽

Carmen De Miguel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adipose Tissue ◽

High Fat Diet ◽

Life Stress ◽

Vascular Function ◽

Maternal Separation ◽

Male Rats ◽

Protective Effects ◽

Ang Ii ◽

High Fat ◽

Perivascular Adipose Tissue

Clinical studies have shown that obesity negatively impacts large arteries’ function. We reported that rats exposed to maternal separation (MatSep), a model of early life stress, display enhanced angiotensin II (ANG II)-induced vasoconstriction in aortic rings cleaned of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) under normal diet (ND) conditions. We hypothesized that exposure to MatSep promotes a greater loss of PVAT-mediated protective effects on vascular function and loss of blood pressure (BP) rhythm in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD) when compared with controls. MatSep was performed in male Wistar-Kyoto rats from days 2 to 14 of life. Normally reared littermates served as controls. On ND, aortic rings from MatSep rats with PVAT removed showed increased ANG II-mediated vasoconstriction versus controls; however, rings from MatSep rats with intact PVAT displayed blunted constriction. This effect was exacerbated by an HFD in both groups; however, the anticontractile effect of PVAT was greater in MatSep rats. Acetylcholine-induced relaxation was similar in MatSep and control rats fed an ND, regardless of the presence of PVAT. HFD impaired aortic relaxation in rings without PVAT from MatSep rats, whereas the presence of PVAT improved relaxation in both groups. On an HFD, immunolocalization of vascular smooth muscle-derived ANG-(1–7) and PVAT-derived adiponectin abundances were increased in MatSep. In rats fed an HFD, 24-h BP and BP rhythms were similar between groups. In summary, MatSep enhanced the ability of PVAT to blunt the heightened ANG II-induced vasoconstriction and endothelial dysfunction in rats fed an HFD. This protective effect may be mediated via the upregulation of vasoprotective factors within the adipovascular axis.

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Effect of vanillic acid and exercise training on fatty liver and insulin resistance in rats: Possible role of fibroblast growth factor 21 and autophagy

Physiology International ◽

10.1556/2060.2021.00188 ◽

2021 ◽

Keyword(s):

Growth Factor ◽

Fatty Liver ◽

Fibroblast Growth Factor ◽

Vanillic Acid ◽

High Fat Diet ◽

Male Rats ◽

Swimming Exercise ◽

Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 ◽

Fibroblast Growth ◽

High Fat

Abstract Background and aims The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has been alarmingly increased with no lines of effective treatment. Vanillic acid is a naturally occurring polyphenol with promising therapeutic effects. Exercise is well known to be an effective tool against obesity and its consequences. Thus, we aim to study the effect of vanillic acid alone and along with exercise on fatty liver induced by a high-fat diet in a rat model and to investigate possible novel mechanisms involved in their action. Methods In this study, 40 male rats were divided equally into five groups: control (standard chow diet), HFD (high-fat diet), HFD+VA (HFD+ vanillic acid (50 mg/kg/day orally), HFD+EX (HFD+ swimming exercise 5 days/week), HFD+VA+EX (HFD+ vanillic acid+ swimming exercise) for eight weeks. Results Body mass, liver weight, liver enzymes, cholesterol, and triglycerides were significantly decreased in the combined VA+EX group, with marked improvement in hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and consequently HOMA-IR index compared to the HFD group. These improvements were also reflected in the pathological view. VA and swimming, either solely or in combination, markedly increased hepatic and circulating fibroblast growth factor 21. Additionally, VA and swimming increased the immunohistochemical expression of the autophagosomal marker LC3 and decreased the expression of P62, which is selectively degraded during autophagy. Conclusions These results suggest the hepatoprotective effect of VA and swimming exercise against fatty liver and the involvement of FGF21 and autophagy in their effect.

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