Calorie restriction modulates hippocampal NMDA receptors in diet-induced obese rats

Calorie restriction (CR) has attracted increased interest since CR enhances lifespan and alters age-related decline in hippocampal-dependent cognitive functions. Obesity is associated with poor neurocognitive outcome including impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive abilities such as learning and memory. N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are linked to hippocampal-dependent learning and memory, which may be stabilized by CR. In the present study, we aimed to establish the effects of CR on NMDARs in CA1 region of hippocampus in obese and non-obese rats. In addition, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined as a marker for lipid peroxidation (LPO) in hippocampus. Four groups were constituted as control group (C, n?=?9), obese group (OB, n?=?10), obese calorie-restricted group (OCR, n?=?9), and non-obese calorie-restricted group (NCR, n?=?10). OCR and NCR were fed with a 60% CR diet for 10 weeks. After 10 weeks of CR, the MDA levels significantly decreased in the calorie-restricted groups. Obesity caused significant decreases in NR2A and NR2B subunit expressions in the hippocampus. The hippocampal NR2A and NR2B levels significantly increased in the OCR group compared with the OB group (P?相似文献   

Early cardiovascular changes occurring in diet-induced, obese insulin-resistant rats

Protein kinase CK2 is a ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine kinase which is composed of two catalytic α- or α'-subunits and two non-catalytic β-subunits. CK2 has been shown to be implicated in embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and the development of certain organs but its role in basal differentiation processes is only sparsely analyzed. 3T3-L1 cells, which are murine pre-adipocytes, can be induced to differentiate into mature adipocytes within 2 weeks using a combination of insulin, dexamethasone, and isobutylmethylxanthine. We found that the activity of CK2 slightly increases until day 6 and subsequently, decreases in fully differentiated adipocytes. The decrease in activity goes along with a lower expression of all the three subunits of CK2. After inhibition of CK2 with 2-dimethylamino-4,5,6,7-tetrabromo-1H-benzimidazole (DMAT) or 1,2,5,8-tetrahydroxyanthraquinone (quinalizarin), before day 6, 3T3-L1 cells did not differentiate into adipocytes; inhibition of CK2 after day 6 had no effect on the differentiation process. These results indicated a role of CK2 in early events of the differentiation process and that CK2 is dispensable for late stages of differentiation.     

Calorie restriction modulates hippocampal NMDA receptors in diet-induced obese rats

Calorie restriction (CR) has attracted increased interest since CR enhances lifespan and alters age-related decline in hippocampal-dependent cognitive functions. Obesity is associated with poor neurocognitive outcome including impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive abilities such as learning and memory. N-Methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are linked to hippocampal-dependent learning and memory, which may be stabilized by CR. In the present study, we aimed to establish the effects of CR on NMDARs in CA1 region of hippocampus in obese and non-obese rats. In addition, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined as a marker for lipid peroxidation (LPO) in hippocampus. Four groups were constituted as control group (C, n?=?9), obese group (OB, n?=?10), obese calorie-restricted group (OCR, n?=?9), and non-obese calorie-restricted group (NCR, n?=?10). OCR and NCR were fed with a 60% CR diet for 10 weeks. After 10 weeks of CR, the MDA levels significantly decreased in the calorie-restricted groups. Obesity caused significant decreases in NR2A and NR2B subunit expressions in the hippocampus. The hippocampal NR2A and NR2B levels significantly increased in the OCR group compared with the OB group (P?<?0.05). In contrast, the hippocampal NR2A and NR2B levels significantly decreased in the NCR group compared with the C group (P?<?0.05). Oxidative stress can be prevented by CR, and these data may provide a molecular and cellular mechanism by which CR may regulate NMDAR-mediated response against obesity-induced changes in the hippocampus.     

Hypothalamic neural projections are permanently disrupted in diet-induced obese rats

The arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) is a key component of hypothalamic pathways regulating energy balance, and leptin is required for normal development of ARH projections. Diet-induced obesity (DIO) has a polygenic mode of inheritance, and DIO individuals develop the metabolic syndrome when a moderate amount of fat is added to the diet. Here we demonstrate that rats selectively bred to develop DIO, which are known to be leptin resistant before they become obese, have defective ARH projections that persist into adulthood. Furthermore, the ability of leptin to activate intracellular signaling in ARH neurons in vivo and to promote ARH neurite outgrowth in vitro is significantly reduced in DIO neonates. Thus, animals that are genetically predisposed toward obesity display an abnormal organization of hypothalamic pathways involved in energy homeostasis that may be the result of diminished responsiveness of ARH neurons to the trophic actions of leptin during postnatal development.     

Fenofibrate prevents and reduces body weight gain and adiposity in diet-induced obese rats

Fibrates are hypolipidemic drugs that activate the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. Since fibrates may also increase energy expenditure, we investigated whether fenofibrate (FF) had this effect in diet-induced obese rats. A 2-month administration of a high-fat palatable diet to adult rats increased body weight by 25% and white adipose mass by 163% compared with a standard diet. These effects were prevented by FF, both when administered for the 2 months of high-fat feeding and when given for only the second month. Consequently, FF-treated rats had a final body weight and white adipose tissue mass similar to untreated animals on the standard diet. FF also increased resting metabolic rate, hepatic peroxisomal and mitochondrial palmitoyl-dependent oxygen uptake and mRNA levels of acyl-CoA oxidase and lipoprotein lipase. Finally, FF lowered mRNA levels of uncoupling protein-2 and did not affect mitochondrial respiration in skeletal muscle. Therefore, FF seems to act as a weight-stabilizer mainly through its effect on liver metabolism.     

Changes of skeletal muscle adiponectin content in diet-induced insulin resistant rats

The current study examined the relationship between skeletal muscle levels of adiponectin and parameters of insulin sensitivity. A high fat/sucrose diet (HFD) for 20 weeks resulted in significant increases in body weight, serum insulin, triglycerides (TG), and free fatty acids (FFA) (all p < 0.01). Interestingly, this diet leads to a slight increase in serum adiponectin, but significant decreases in gastrocnemius muscle and white adipose adiponectin (all p < 0.05). HFD for 4 weeks also resulted in a significant decrease in muscle adiponectin, which correlated with serum insulin, TG, and FFA (all p < 0.05). Treatment of the 4-week HFD rats with a PPARgamma agonist GI262570 ameliorated the diet-induced hyperinsulinemia and dyslipidemia, and effectively restored muscle adiponectin (all p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that HFD-induced hyperinsulinemia and dyslipidemia appeared without changes in serum adiponectin, but were associated with decreased tissue adiponectin. This provides the first evidence for a connection between tissue adiponectin and diet-induced hyperinsulinemia and dyslipidemia.     

PPARgamma agonists diminish serum VEGF elevation in diet-induced insulin resistant SD rats and ZDF rats

We investigated the effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonists on serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in diet-induced insulin resistant SD rats and ZDF rats. SD rats fed a high fat/sucrose diet showed increases in serum insulin and VEGF (both p < 0.01). Treatment with a PPARgamma agonist GI262570 normalized the diet-elevated insulin and VEGF (both p < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between serum insulin and VEGF (p < 0.05) in SD rats. ZDF rats had higher serum glucose, insulin, and VEGF than Zucker lean rats (all p < 0.01). Treatment of ZDF rats with PPARgamma agonist pioglitazone decreased serum glucose and VEGF (both p <0.01). There was a positive correlation between glucose and VEGF in ZDF rats (p < 0.05). In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, GI262570 did not affect insulin-stimulated VEGF secretion. These studies demonstrated that hyperinsulinemia in SD rats and hyperglycemia in ZDF rats were associated with increased serum VEGF; PPARgamma agonists normalized serum insulin, glucose, and VEGF, but did not affect VEGF secretion in vitro.     

Peripheral oxytocin suppresses food intake and causes weight loss in diet-induced obese rats

Growing evidence suggests that oxytocin plays an important role in the regulation of energy balance and that central oxytocin administration induces weight loss in diet-induced obese (DIO) animals. To gain a better understanding of how oxytocin mediates these effects, we examined feeding and neuronal responses to oxytocin in animals rendered obese following exposure to either a high-fat (HFD) or low-fat diet (LFD). Our findings demonstrate that peripheral administration of oxytocin dose-dependently reduces food intake and body weight to a similar extent in rats maintained on either diet. Moreover, the effect of oxytocin to induce weight loss remained intact in leptin receptor-deficient Koletsky (fa(k)/fa(k)) rats relative to their lean littermates. To determine whether systemically administered oxytocin activates hindbrain areas that regulate meal size, we measured neuronal c-Fos induction in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and area postrema (AP). We observed a robust neuronal response to oxytocin in these hindbrain areas that was unexpectedly increased in rats rendered obese on a HFD relative to lean, LFD-fed controls. Finally, we report that repeated daily peripheral administration of oxytocin in DIO animals elicited a sustained reduction of food intake and body weight while preventing the reduction of energy expenditure characteristic of weight-reduced animals. These findings extend recent evidence suggesting that oxytocin circumvents leptin resistance and induces weight-loss in DIO animals through a mechanism involving activation of neurons in the NTS and AP, key hindbrain areas for processing satiety-related inputs.     

Central administration of melanocortin agonist increased insulin sensitivity in diet-induced obese rats

In this study, we examined the effects of intracerebroventricular administration of melanotan II (MTII), a melanocortin agonist, on insulin sensitivity in diet-induced obese (DIO) rats. Although MTII treatment significantly decreased food intake and body weight for 10 days, there was no significant difference in body weight between MTII and pair-fed groups. The insulin tolerance test showed that insulin sensitivity was significantly improved in the MTII group compared to the pair-fed group. Furthermore, MTII treatment increased the number of small-sized adipocytes in epididymal white adipose tissues, suggesting that MTII increased insulin sensitivity through action on the white adipose tissues in DIO rats.     

Proteomic of lipid rafts in the exocrine pancreas from diet-induced obese rats

In the present work, we induced obesity in rats with high-energy-starch diet and studied exocrine pancreas response. The zymogen granule (ZG) or purified plasma membrane (PM) from the exocrine pancreas was used for the isolation of the detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs). Based on high content of cholesterol, GM1, the bile salt dependent lipase (BSDL), and GP2 enrichment, the low-density fractions were defined as lipid rafts. Additionally, the rafts vesicles were determined by immunogold labeling with anti BSDL. By combining MALDI-TOF/MS and nano-LC ESI Q-TOF MS/MS proteomic identification we have selected 33 proteins from the lipid rafts which were classified into at least four functional families. Our data suggest that the acinar PM from the diet-induced obesity rats may be organized into lipid rafts, and characterization of rafts proteome can contribute to improve our understanding of food digestion under obesity.     

Pulmonary arterial dysfunction in insulin resistant obese Zucker rats

Background

Insulin resistance and obesity are strongly associated with systemic cardiovascular diseases. Recent reports have also suggested a link between insulin resistance with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The aim of this study was to analyze pulmonary vascular function in the insulin resistant obese Zucker rat.

Methods

Large and small pulmonary arteries from obese Zucker rat and their lean counterparts were mounted for isometric tension recording. mRNA and protein expression was measured by RT-PCR or Western blot, respectively. K_V currents were recorded in isolated pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells using the patch clamp technique.

Results

Right ventricular wall thickness was similar in obese and lean Zucker rats. Lung BMPR2, K_V1.5 and 5-HT_2A receptor mRNA and protein expression and K_V current density were also similar in the two rat strains. In conductance and resistance pulmonary arteries, the similar relaxant responses to acetylcholine and nitroprusside and unchanged lung eNOS expression revealed a preserved endothelial function. However, in resistance (but not in conductance) pulmonary arteries from obese rats a reduced response to several vasoconstrictor agents (hypoxia, phenylephrine and 5-HT) was observed. The hyporesponsiveness to vasoconstrictors was reversed by L-NAME and prevented by the iNOS inhibitor 1400W.

Conclusions

In contrast to rat models of type 1 diabetes or other mice models of insulin resistance, the obese Zucker rats did not show any of the characteristic features of pulmonary hypertension but rather a reduced vasoconstrictor response which could be prevented by inhibition of iNOS.     

Oral-tolerance induction in diet-induced obese mice

OBJECTIVE: It is known that immune functions are altered in various ways by obesity. However, changes in the intestinal immune system resulting from obesity remain poorly understood. Oral tolerance is a system that suppresses antigen specific immune responses to orally administrated antigens. The intestinal immune system is intimately associated with the oral tolerance system, that acts to prevent allergic and inflammatory diseases. In this study we investigated the effect of obesity on induction of oral tolerance to ovalbumin (OVA) in an animal model of obesity. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Obese mice induced by a high fat diet and control mice were allowed free access for 3 days to a 1%-ovalbumin (OVA) solution in drinking water. After continuous feeding of the antigen, all the mice were immunized by two intraperitoneal injections of OVA administered 7 days apart. RESULTS: In the control mice, induction of oral tolerance caused an increase in antigen specific IgG1 levels and a decrease in IgG2a levels. In contrast, the IgG1/IgG2a ratio was reversed in obese mice. OVA-specific IL-2 production was suppressed by antigen feeding in both the control and obese mice; however, suppression of OVA-specific IL-10 was observed only in the control mice. Although OVA-specific IgA and IgM were not affected by antigen feeding, the obese groups of mice had significantly lower titers of antibodies. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that obesity may affect induction of oral tolerance following antigen feeding and that these changes may be related to the inflammatory reaction.     

Chronic exercise lowers the defended body weight gain and adiposity in diet-induced obese rats

The effects of running wheel exercise and caloric restriction on the regulation of body weight, adiposity, and hypothalamic neuropeptide expression were compared in diet-induced obese male rats over 6 wk. Compared with sedentary controls, exercising rats had reduced body weight gain (24%), visceral (4 fat pads; 36%) and carcass (leptin; 35%) adiposity but not insulin levels. Hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) proopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA expression was 25% lower, but ARC neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti- related peptide, dorsomedial nucleus (DMN) NPY, and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) corticotropin- releasing hormone (CRH) expression was comparable to controls. Sedentary rats calorically restricted to 85% of control body weight reduced their visceral adiposity (24%), leptin (64%), and insulin (21%) levels. ARC NPY (23%) and DMN NPY (60%) were increased, while ARC POMC (40%) and PVN CRH (14%) were decreased. Calorically restricted exercising rats an half as much as ad libitum-fed exercising rats and had less visceral obesity than comparably restricted sedentary rats. When sedentary restricted rats were refed after 4 wk, they increased intake and regained the weight gain and adiposity of sedentary controls. While refed exercising rats and sedentary rats ate comparable amounts, refed exercising rats regained weight and adiposity only to the level of ad libitum-fed exercising rats. Thus exercise lowers the defended level of weight gain and adiposity without a compensatory increase in intake and with a very different profile of hypothalamic neuropeptide expression from calorically restricted rats. This may be due to exercise-related factors other than plasma insulin and leptin.     

Central orexin sensitivity, physical activity, and obesity in diet-induced obese and diet-resistant rats

Nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), the most variable component of energy expenditure, can account for differential capacities for human weight gain. Also highly variable, spontaneous physical activity (SPA) may similarly affect weight balance in animals. In the following study, we utilized the rat model of obesity, the diet-induced obese (DIO) rat, as well as the diet-resistant (DR) rat strain, to investigate how access to a high-fat diet alters SPA and the associated energy expenditure (i.e., NEAT). DIO and DR rats showed no differences in the amount of SPA before access to the high-fat diet. After 29 days on a high-fat diet, the DIO rats showed significant decreases in SPA, whereas the DR rats did not. Next, we wanted to determine whether the DIO and DR rats showed differential sensitivity to microinjections of orexin into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). Unilateral guide cannulae were implanted, aimed at the PVN. Orexin A (0, 0.125, 0.25, and 1.0 nmol in 500 nl) was microinjected through the guide cannula into the PVN, then SPA and energy expenditure were measured for 2 h. Using the response to vehicle as a baseline, the DR rats showed significantly greater increase in NEAT compared with the DIO rats. These data indicate that diet-induced obesity is associated with decreases in SPA and a lack of increase in NEAT. A putative mechanism for changes in NEAT that accompany obesity is a decreased sensitivity to the NEAT-activating effects of neuropeptides such as orexin.     

Co-species housing in mice and rats: Effects on physiological and behavioral stress responsivity

Co-species housing of mice and rats is common practice at most breeding facilities and research laboratories, neglecting the possible effects on the animals. We investigated physiological as well as behavioral stress-reactivity in mice and rats which were either derived from a co-species or species-separated housing condition at the breeding facilities. The animals were kept under the housing condition they were used to or assigned to the opposite one. Co-species housing had a significant impact on acute stress reactivity in mice and rats but only if they were used to this housing condition throughout their lives. Moreover, the stress-effects appeared to be long lasting. Assigning animals, derived from a species-separated housing condition, to co-species housing led to chronic stress in mice and affected experimental behavior of rats.Our findings led to the conclusion that co-species housing in mice and rats should be avoided, supporting the recommendations by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). In order to support the interpretation, facilitate the reproducibility and comparability and subsequently the generalizability of experimental results, breeding facilities should at least provide detailed information about their housing conditions.     

The effect of CNS opioid on autonomic nervous and cardiovascular responses in diet-induced obese rats

The intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of beta-endorphin can cause either a decrease in blood pressure in normal rats or an increase in obese rats. Diet-induced obesity is associated with an increase of hypothalamic mu opioid receptors. Since beta-endorphins act by opioid receptors, we investigated the effect of CNS mu as well as kappa opioid receptor agonist and antagonist on mean blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) in male Wistar rats fed either a high fat (HF) (40% fat by weight) or a regular low fat (control) (4% fat by weight) diet. After a 12-week-feeding period the animals were implanted with i.c.v. cannulas and 3-5 days later they were anesthetized and instrumented to record MAP, HR and RSNA. HF rats have higher MAP and the i.c.v. injection of a mu opioid agonist (DAMGO) initially decreased the MAP and then increased MAP, HR and RSNA in the normal animals. The increase was greater in HF animals. The i.c.v. injection of the mu antagonist (beta-FNA) resulted in a significantly greater decrease in MAP in HF animals. beta-FNA increased the RSNA in the HF rats but decreased it in the normal rats. The kappa agonist (dynorphin) decreased MAP in normal rats followed by a return to baseline, but not in HF rats. The kappa antagonist, nor-binaltorphimine (N-BP), increased MAP and RSNA in normal rats and to a lesser extent in HF rats. These findings suggest that rats given a high fat diet have higher blood pressures and a greater mu opioid-mediated responsiveness with a greater mu opioid-mediated autonomic tone. Additionally there is a decreased kappa responsiveness and tone in the HF rats. Both these changes, increased mu and decreased kappa responsiveness could strongly contribute to the increased blood pressure in obese animals.     

Effects of PPARgamma and PPARalpha agonists on serum leptin levels in diet-induced obese rats.

Leptin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors are two important adipose tissue factors involved in energy metabolism regulation. It has been shown that PPARgamma agonists decrease leptin levels. However, the effects of PPARalpha agonists on leptin have not been investigated much. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a PPARgamma agonist rosiglitazone (RSG) and PPARalpha agonist gemfibrozil (G) on body weight and serum insulin and leptin levels in diet-induced obese rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into six groups according to diet and drug therapy. After four weeks, serum glucose, triglyceride, insulin and leptin levels were significantly decreased in the high-fat-fed and RSG-treated groups compared to the group fed a high-fat diet only (162 +/- 19 vs. 207 +/- 34 mg/dl, 58 +/- 20 vs. 112 +/- 23 mg/dl, 3.1 +/- 1.0 vs. 15.2 +/- 4.0 ng/ml, 1.6 +/- 0.5 vs. 3.6 +/- 1.6 ng/ml, respectively). However, these parameters were not statistically different in RSG animals treated with a standard diet compared to the standard diet group. The high fat+RSG group gained much more weight compared to high-fat and high-fat+G groups (p > 0.05). Additionally, serum glucose, insulin and leptin levels were significantly decreased in the high-fat-fed and G-treated group compared to high-fat group (149 +/- 19 vs. 207 +/- 34 mg/dl, 57 +/- 16 vs. 112 +/- 23 mg/dl, 4.3 +/- 2.1 vs. 15.2 +/- 4.0 ng/ml, 1.6 +/- 0.4 vs. 3.6 +/- 1.6 ng/ml, respectively). These results suggest that PPARalpha agonists may decrease serum glucose, insulin and leptin levels as PPARgamma agonists do in diet-induced obese rats.