饮食诱导肥胖及肥胖抵抗与脂肪细胞因子

Levin提出饮食诱导肥胖（DIO）与饮食诱导肥胖抵抗（DIO-R）的概念后,其发生机制受到了广泛关注。现代研究认为脂肪组织除了能调节能量代谢外,还可以分泌多种细胞因子,如瘦素、脂联素、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）和抵抗素等。在已发现的脂肪细胞因子中,瘦素、TNF-α和脂联素等与肥胖的发生密切关联。DIO大鼠血清瘦素水平比DIO-R大鼠高,DIO大鼠瘦素敏感性降低,发生了瘦素抵抗。DIO小鼠血浆脂联素水平比DIO-R小鼠低。DIO组TNF-α水平明显高于DIO-R组。     

Orexin-A在肥胖大鼠摄食和自由活动中的调控

目的:探讨Orexin-A对肥胖大鼠摄食和自由活动的影响。方法:雄性SD大鼠下丘脑外侧区(LH)置管,预先测量体重(BW),脂体重(FM)和瘦体重(LM),据此对大鼠分组并分别提供高脂(HF)和低脂(LF)饮食饲喂,通过置管向大鼠LH注射人工合成脑脊液(a CSF)或orexin-A(OXA)。在饲喂前后监测OXA对大鼠自发动态运动(SPA)以及摄食量,体重(BW),脂体重(FM)和瘦体重(LM)的影响,以及每日LH注射OXA是否能够抵抗高脂饮食引起的摄食诱导肥胖(DIO)。结果:高脂饮食饲喂之后,高摄食诱导肥胖(DIO)大鼠和低DIO大鼠间体重增加量(ΔBW)、摄食量和高脂饮食饲喂后的体重无差异(P0.05),但与低脂饮食组大鼠相比,上述各指标均显著增加(P0.05)。低DIO大鼠的24 h SPA和活跃期SPA显著高于高DIO大鼠(P0.05)。LH注射OXA可使严重DIO降低而轻微DIO增加,DIO程度对LH注射OXA后的SPA的影响呈非线性的。每日双侧LH注射OXA可抑制早期DIO但并不改变大鼠摄食量。LH注射OXA使大鼠SPA增加,影响能量消耗,有助于DIO抵抗。结论:Orexin-A可通过增加大鼠活动量,调控肥胖大鼠的摄食和DIO抵抗作用。     

反式脂肪酸对肥胖大鼠氧化还原态的影响

目的：利用高脂饲料建立大鼠肥胖模型,通过对添加不同剂量反式脂肪酸（TFAs）喂养的大鼠脑及血液氧化损伤相关指标比较,探讨TFAs对肥胖大鼠脑和血液抗氧化系统的影响机制。方法：健康雄性SD大鼠40只,随机分为4组：对照组（CON组）、喂饲基础饲料、饮食诱导的肥胖组（DIO组）,喂饲高脂饲料,1%及8%反式脂肪酸组（1% TFAs、8% TFAs组）喂饲添加1% TFAs及8% TFAs的高脂饲料。8周后,心脏取血后,处死动物,留取脑组织及血液以检测相关指标。结果：不同饲料喂养8周后,8% TFAs组大鼠脑丙二醛（MDA）含量明显高于CON组、 DIO组与1% TFAs 组（P<0.01）;CON组、DIO组、1% TFAs及8% TFAs组大鼠脑还原型谷胱甘肽（GSH）含量依次显著下降,差异有统计学意义（P<0.01）;1% TFAs组大鼠血清谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-PX）活力低于DIO组、CON组（P<0.05）;与CON组相比,8% TFAs组大鼠脑核因子E2相关因子2（Nrf2）mRNA表达水平显著上调（P < 0.01）;8% TFAs组血红素加氧酶-1（HO-1）蛋白表达水平显著高于CON组（P<0.05）、DIO组（P<0.05）及1% TFAs组（P<0.01）。结论：高含量TFAs摄入可引起肥胖大鼠血液和脑发生氧化损伤,上调氧化损伤相关基因和蛋白表达。     

n-3多不饱和脂肪酸调节饮食诱导肥胖大鼠miRNA表达变化

目的：研究n-3多不饱和脂肪酸（polyunsaturated fatty acids,PUFA）饮食对饮食诱导肥胖大鼠的miR NA表达影响。方法：将10只饮食诱导肥胖（diet induced obese,DIO）大鼠随机分成两组：n-3PUFA添加组和安慰剂添加组（对照组）;每周记录两组老鼠的体重、体长和进食量。对外周血miR NA的表达并进行分析和预测。结果：两组老鼠Lee指数有统计学差异（P〈0.05）;与对照组相比,在n-3组的外周血单核细胞中,29个miR NA上调,31个下调;其中rno-miR-200和rno-miR-211的表达量上调,rno-miR-29b和rno-miR-92b的表达量下调,其靶基因预测结果与神经营养因子,脂肪细胞因子,趋化因子和胰岛素信号通路有关。结论：n-3PUFA能够调节DIO大鼠的miR NA水平,其中有些与脂肪代谢相关。     

耐力运动对饮食性肥胖大鼠体脂影响的研究

耐力运动对饮食性肥胖大鼠体脂影响的研究王从容,谭健,杨锡让（北京体育大学生理学教研室北京１０００８４）本实验利用与人类肥胖相近的高脂饲料诱发肥胖大鼠模型￣［２］,探讨饮食性肥胖大鼠肥胖与血脂、血糖及血胰岛素变化的关系,以及耐力训练对肥胖鼠体脂含量的影...     

下丘脑LHA-VMH Ghrelin信号通路对肥胖大鼠摄食选择、胃肠道运动及自发活动的影响及机制研究

目的:探究下丘脑外侧区(LHA)-腹内侧核(VMH)ghrelin信号通路对肥胖大鼠的摄食选择、胃肠道运动及自发活动的影响。方法:采用免疫组织化学方法检测大鼠LHA中ghrelin受体的表达;观察LHA注射ghrelin对大鼠摄食选择胃肠道运动及自发活动的影响;电损毁VMH,观察LHA注射ghrelin对大鼠摄食的影响。结果:免疫组化结果显示,大鼠下丘脑LHA中存在ghrelin受体,且LHA-VMH之间存在纤维投射;大鼠LHA微量注射ghrelin后,肥胖(DIO)大鼠及肥胖抵抗(DR)大鼠的正常饮食、高脂饮食及高糖饮食均高于正常大鼠,但预注射ghrelin受体拮抗剂[D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 (DLS)能够阻断这种作用;而电损毁大鼠VMH,显著减弱了ghrelin对正常大鼠、DIO大鼠及DR大鼠的促摄食作用。大鼠LHA微量注射ghrelin后,正常大鼠、DIO大鼠及DR大鼠的自发活动中,X轴、Y轴方向上的活动增加,且总活动增加,但Z轴方向上活动无明显改变;此外,LHA注射ghrelin,DIO大鼠及DR大鼠的胃肠道转运速率明显加快,且DR大鼠胃肠道转运速率增加更为明显,而预注射ghrelin受体拮抗剂[D-Lys3]-GHRP-6(DLS)显著阻断ghrelin的促胃肠道转运作用。结论:下丘脑LHA-VMH ghrelin信号通路参与调节正常大鼠、DIO及DR大鼠的摄食选择、胃肠道运动及自发活动。     

Orexin-A对高脂饮食诱导肥胖大鼠摄食和体重的影响

目的:探讨Orexin-A对高脂饮食诱导的肥胖大鼠摄食和体重的影响。方法:通过检测SD大鼠24 h动态SPA的分布情况来定义HA大鼠和LA大鼠,创建饮食诱导肥胖(DIO)大鼠模型,向HA和LA大鼠延髓外侧下丘脑(rLH)和黑质多巴胺致密部(SN))微量注射orexin-A,观察orexin-A对能量消耗、自发动态运动(SPA)的作用,以及动态SPA对饮食诱导肥胖(DIO)的抵抗作用。结果:雄性SD大鼠在标准饮食情况下,24 h动态SPA呈正偏态分布,非固定SPA(ambulatory SPA)与瘦体重(lean mass,LM)(P0.05)以及总体重(P0.05)显著相关。HA和LA大鼠(high and low activity rats)间的固有SPA(intrinsic SPA)差异有显著统计学意义(P0.05)。与LA大鼠相比,HA大鼠延髓外侧下丘脑(rLH)和黑质多巴胺致密部(SN)的orexin-A反应性更高。在r LH和SN注射orexin-A能显著增加动态SPA(r LH:P0.05;SN:P0.05)。在HA和LA大鼠的r LH注射orexin-A,每种剂量与注射相同剂量的a CSF的大鼠相比效果有显著差异。而对于SN注射OXA,只有注射高剂量OXA的HA大鼠,与对照组相比,才出现著差异。在r LH注射OXA后,对HA/LA大鼠动态SPA均有显著影响(P0.05)。HA大鼠比LA大鼠能量消耗更高。不同的饮食对于HA和LA大鼠转化为SPA有不同的影响,HA大鼠对DIO敏感性低于LA大鼠。与LA大鼠相比,在LF(Low Fat)饮食条件下,转化为脂肪量的热量更少。结论:Orexin-A可通过增加大鼠活动量,使高脂饮食诱导的肥胖大鼠体重减轻。     

肥胖大鼠模型的建立及其脂代谢相关分子机制研究

目的建立饮食诱导的肥胖(diet-induced obesity,DIO)大鼠模型并初步探讨其发病的分子机制。方法用脂肪含量30%的高脂饲料饲喂雄性SD大鼠25周,观察大鼠体重、Lee’s指数、肝组织病理改变,检测大鼠空腹血糖及空腹血清胰岛素水平,并通过real-time PCR,检测成模大鼠肝脏中乙酰辅酶A羧化酶(ACC)、脂肪酸合酶(FAS)、激素敏感酯酶(HSL)以及固醇调节元件结合蛋白-1c(SREBP-1c)的表达变化。结果高脂饲料饲喂6周后,DIO组大鼠体重、Lee’s指数均显著增加;25周后肝脏脂肪异常蓄积,出现中重度脂肪肝,空腹血糖及胰岛素水平显著升高,出现明显的胰岛素抵抗。肝脏中ACC、FAS和HSL表达显著增加,SREBP-1c表达水平达到正常组的2.56倍,两组间差异极其显著。结论成功建立了DIO大鼠模型,通过检测脂代谢相关基因的表达水平,初步阐释了营养性肥胖的发生与脂代谢变化之间的关系,SREBP-1c,ACC,FAS和HSL参与了DIO的形成,从而初步揭示了脂代谢变化与营养性肥胖的发生的关系。     

高脂饮食诱导的C57BL／6J肥胖小鼠脂肪组织RIP140基因表达水平的研究

目的：探讨高脂饮食致肥胖小鼠脂肪组织RIP140mRNA表达水平的变化及其与胰岛素抵抗的关系。方法：将C57BL／6J雄性小鼠随机分为正常饮食（NFD）组、高脂饮食（HFD）纽分别喂养14周后,测量两组小鼠体重,以NFD组小鼠体重作为对照,选取HFD组中体重大于对照组小鼠平均体重20％的小鼠作为肥胖组小鼠。对照组和肥胖组小鼠取血测甘油三酯（TG）、总胆固醇（TC）、空腹血糖（FBG）、空腹胰岛素水平（FIns）,计算稳态模型胰岛素抵抗指数（HOMA-IR）;采用RT—PCR技术检测两组小鼠附睾脂肪组织RIP140 mRNA的表达水平,并进行统计学分析。结果：HDF组小鼠中有12只符合标准计入肥胖组。肥胖组小鼠TG、TC、FBG、Fins（P〈0．05）,HOMA-1R（P〈0．01）均明显高于对照组;肥胖组小鼠脂肪组织RIP140mRNA的表达高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;相关分析显示小鼠脂肪组织R1P140 mRNA表达水平与TG水平呈正相关（r=0．536,P〈0．05）,与胰岛素抵抗指数呈正相关（r=0．465,P〈0．05）,而与TC、FBG、Fins水平相关分析无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。结论：高脂饮食诱导的肥胖小鼠脂肪组织RIP140 mRNA表达增加,并与胰岛素抵抗程度呈正相关。     

运动对高脂饲料喂养大鼠骨骼肌和肝脏组织脂联素-脂联素受体-腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶通路的影响

目的：探讨运动影响高脂喂养大鼠骨骼肌和肝脏组织在腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶（AMPK）通路上的可能机制。方法：40只雄性SD大鼠随机分为4组（n=1 0）：正常对照组（C组）：正常饮食不运动;正常饮食运动组（E组）：正常饮食同时进行10周游泳运动;高脂饮食对照组（H组）：高脂饲料喂养不运动;高脂饮食运动组（HE组）：高脂饲料喂养同时进行10周游泳运动。采用实时荧光定量PCR检测大鼠骨骼肌和肝脏脂联系受体1（AdipoR1）,Adipo R2 mRNA表达,Western blot检测大鼠骨骼肌和肝脏腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶α（AMPKα）蛋白表达及磷酸化水平。结果：股四头肌AdipoR1 mRNA、肝脏AdipoR2 mRNA表达在H组显著低于C组（P<0.05）;HE组股四头肌和肝脏AMPKα（Thr172）磷酸化水平显著高于H组（P<0.05）,分别较H组高43.2%和51.1%。结论：高脂喂养导致大鼠骨骼肌和肝脏A dipoR1/R2 mRNA表达下调,运动提高了大鼠骨骼肌和肝脏AMPKα（Thr172）磷酸化水平。     

Acute changes in the response to peripheral leptin with alteration in the diet composition

Dietary induced obesity in rodents is associated with a resistance to leptin. We have investigated the hypothesis that dietary fat per se alters the feeding response to peripheral leptin in rats that were fed either their habitual high- or low-fat diet or were naively exposed to the alternative diet. Osborne-Mendel rats were adapted to either high- or low-fat diet. Food-deprived rats were given either leptin (0.5 mg/kg body wt ip) or saline, after which they were provided with either their familiar diet or the alternative diet. Food intake of rats adapted and tested with the low-fat diet was reduced 4 h after leptin injection, whereas rats adapted and tested with a high-fat diet did not respond to leptin. Leptin was injected again 1 and 5 days after the high-fat diet-adapted rats were switched to the low-fat diet. Leptin reduced the food intake on both days. In contrast, when low-fat diet-adapted rats were switched to a high-fat diet, the leptin inhibitory response was present on day 1 but not observed on day 5. Peripheral injection of leptin increased serum corticosterone level and decreased hypothalamic neuropeptide Y mRNA expression in rats fed the low-fat but not the high-fat diet for 20 days. The data suggest that dietary fat itself, rather than obesity, may induce leptin resistance within a short time of exposure to a high-fat diet.     

Fat Intake Affects Adiposity,Comorbidity Factors,and Energy Metabolism of Sprague‐Dawley Rats

Objective: Childhood obesity is an emerging health problem. This study assesses the effects of three levels of dietary fat (10%, 32%, and 45% measured by kilocalories) on weight gain, body composition, energy metabolism, and comorbidity factors in rats from weaning through maturation. Research Methods and Procedures: The role of dietary fat on the susceptibility to obesity was assessed by feeding diets containing three levels of dietary fat to rats from weaning through 7 months of age. Body composition was analyzed by DXA after 6 and 12 weeks of dietary treatment. Energy metabolism was measured by indirect calorimetry. Results: Energy intake, weight gain, fat mass, and plasma glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, free fatty acid, leptin, and insulin levels increased dose‐dependently with increased dietary fat. No difference in absolute lean mass among the three groups was observed. Therefore, the differences in weight gain are accounted for primarily by increased fat accretion. Compared with rats that were relatively resistant to obesity when on a 45% fat diet, diet‐induced obesity‐prone rats were in positive energy balance and had an elevated respiratory quotient, indicating a switch in energy substrate use from fat to carbohydrate, which promotes body‐fat accretion. Discussion: Our data support the hypothesis that administration of increasing amount of dietary fat to very young rats enhances susceptibility to diet‐induced obesity and its comorbidities.     

Chronic mild stress induces variations in locomotive behavior and metabolic rates in high fat fed rats

Chronic mild stress (CMS) has been often associated to the pathogenesis of many diseases including obesity. Indeed, visceral obesity has been linked to the development of metabolic syndrome features and constitutes a serious risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. In order to study possible mechanistic relationships between stress and the onset of obesity, we developed during 11 weeks a model of high-fat dietary intake (cafeteria diet) together with a CMS regimen in male Wistar rats. During the experimental period, basal metabolism by indirect calorimetry, rectal temperature, food intake, and locomotive markers were specifically analyzed. After 77 days, animals were sacrificed and body, adiposity and plasma biochemical profiles were also examined. As expected, cafeteria diet in unstressed animals induced a significative increase in body weight, adiposity, and insulin resistance markers. Locomotive variables, specifically distance, rearing and meander, were significantly increased by CMS on the first weeks of stress. Moreover, this model of CMS in Wistar rats increased significantly energy expenditure, and apparently interplayed with the dietary treatment on the muscle weight/fat weight ratio. In summary, this chronic stress model did not affected weight gain in control and high fat fed animals, but induced an interaction concerning the metabolic muscle/fat repartitioning.     

Improved n-3 fatty acid status does not modulate insulin resistance in fa/fa Zucker rats

The objective was to examine the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acid type (plant vs fish oil-derived n-3, compared to n-6 fatty acids in the presence of constant proportions of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids) on obesity, insulin resistance and tissue fatty acid composition in genetically obese rats. Six-week-old fa/fa and lean Zucker rats were fed with a 10% (w/w) mixed fat diet containing predominantly flax-seed, menhaden or safflower oils for 9 weeks. There was no effect of dietary lipid on obesity, oral glucose tolerance (except t=60 min insulin), pancreatic function or molecular markers related to insulin, glucose and lipid metabolism, despite increased n-3 fatty acids in muscle and adipose tissue. The menhaden oil diet reduced fasting serum free fatty acids in both fa/fa and lean rats. These data suggest that n-3 composition does not alter obesity and insulin resistance in the fa/fa Zucker rat model when dietary lipid classes are balanced.     

Obesity induced by a high-fat diet downregulates apolipoprotein A-IV gene expression in rat hypothalamus

Apolipoprotein A-IV (apo A-IV) is an anorectic protein produced in the intestine and brain that has been proposed as a satiety signal. To determine whether diet-induced obesity alters apo A-IV gene expression in the intestine and hypothalamus, rats were fed a high-fat (HF), low-fat (LF), or standard chow (CHOW) diet for 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 wk. Rats fed the HF diet had significantly greater body weights than rats given the LF and CHOW diets. Intestinal and plasma apo A-IV levels were comparable across dietary groups and time. LF and CHOW rats had comparable hypothalamic apo A-IV mRNA across the course of the experiment. However, HF rats had a slow and progressive diminution in hypothalamic apo A-IV mRNA over time that became significantly lower than that of LF or CHOW rats by 10 wk. Intragastric infusion of lipid emulsion to animals that were fasted overnight significantly stimulated hypothalamic apo A-IV mRNA in LF and CHOW rats but had no effect in HF rats. These results demonstrate that chronic consumption of a HF diet significantly reduces apo A-IV mRNA levels and the response of apo A-IV gene expression to dietary lipids in the hypothalamus. This raises the possibility that dysregulation of hypothalamic apo A-IV could contribute to diet-induced obesity.     

肥胖大鼠瘦素信号传导通路的变化

目的筛选与人类代谢障碍性肥胖症发病病因学相似的肥胖大鼠模型,并对肥胖个体Leptin信号传导通路的改变情况进行初步研究。方法离乳雄性Wistar大鼠以高脂饲料喂养6周后,取体重增加值大的前1/4部分作为肥胖倾向组大鼠。对肥胖倾向组大鼠,继续进行高脂饲料喂养,并观察其体重、血清Leptin的变化趋势;试验49周后,大鼠处死,对内脏脂肪含量、附睾脂肪细胞大小以及下丘脑LRb（Leptin受体b亚型）表达水平及Stat3磷酸化水平（Tyr705磷酸化）进行测定。结果正常对照组大鼠和肥胖倾向组大鼠在不同饲料喂养的第17周开始体重相对增加值出现组间显著性差异;除第16周肥胖倾向组大鼠的血清Leptin浓度高于正常对照组,但不存在显著性差异之外,其它采血时间点,肥胖倾向组的血清Leptin浓度均显著高于正常对照组;动物处死后,肥胖倾向组大鼠的内脏脂肪含量和附睾脂肪细胞大小均显著大于正常对照组;两组大鼠在下丘脑LRb表达水平和细胞浆内Stat3磷酸化水平方面不存在显著性差异。结论本研究得到了与营养性肥胖人群临床表现相似的肥胖大鼠;同时发现,肥胖大鼠在长期高浓度Leptin刺激后,可能引起了中枢性Leptin抵抗,致使Leptin对体重调节的正常生理作用受到抑制,脂代谢异常的程度进一步加深,最终表现为脂肪细胞体积增大、内脏脂肪含量升高和体重增加。     

Insulin Action in Rats Is Influenced by Amount and Composition of Dietary Fat

The chronic influence of dietary fat composition on obesity and insulin action is not well understood. We examined the effect of amount (20% vs 60% of total calories) and type (saturated vs polyunsaturated) of fat on insulin action and body composition in mature male rats. Six months of feeding a high fat (HF) diet led to obesity and impaired insulin action (determined by a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp), neither of which were reversed by a subsequent 6 months of feeding a low fat (LF) diet. Within HF fed rats, type of fat did not affect body composition or insulin action. Six months of feeding a low fat diet led to only a slight decline in insulin action, with no difference due to type of dietary fat. From 6–9 months, insulin action became more impaired in LF rats fed the saturated diet than in LF rats fed the polyunsaturated diet. By 12 months, all groups were obese and had a similar impairment in insulin action. The amount and type of fat in the diet did not influence the overall degree of impairment in insulin action but did affect the time course. Both feeding a high fat diet and feeding a low fat saturated diet accelerated the impairment in insulin action relative to rats fed a low fat polyunsaturated fat diet.     

Very low-carbohydrate versus isocaloric high-carbohydrate diet in dietary obese rats

Objective: The effects of a very low‐carbohydrate (VLC), high‐fat (HF) dietary regimen on metabolic syndrome were compared with those of an isocaloric high‐carbohydrate (HC), low‐fat (LF) regimen in dietary obese rats. Research Methods and Procedures: Male Sprague‐Dawley rats, made obese by 8 weeks ad libitum consumption of an HF diet, developed features of the metabolic syndrome vs. lean control (C) rats, including greater visceral, subcutaneous, and hepatic fat masses, elevated plasma cholesterol levels, impaired glucose tolerance, and fasting and post‐load insulin resistance. Half of the obese rats (VLC) were then fed a popular VLC‐HF diet (Weeks 9 and 10 at 5% and Weeks 11 to 14 at 15% carbohydrate), and one‐half (HC) were pair‐fed an HC‐LF diet (Weeks 9 to 14 at 60% carbohydrate). Results: Energy intakes of pair‐fed VLC and HC rats were less than C rats throughout Weeks 9 to 14. Compared with HC rats, VLC rats exhibited impaired insulin and glycemic responses to an intraperitoneal glucose load at Week 10 and lower plasma triacylglycerol levels but retarded loss of hepatic, retroperitoneal, and total body fat at Week 14. VLC, HC, and C rats no longer differed in body weight, plasma cholesterol, glucose tolerance, or fasting insulin resistance at Week 14. Progressive decreases in fasting insulin resistance in obese groups paralleled concomitant reductions in hepatic, retroperitoneal, and total body fat. Discussion: When energy intake was matched, the VLC‐HF diet provided no advantage in weight loss or in improving those components of the metabolic syndrome induced by dietary obesity and may delay loss of hepatic and visceral fat as compared with an HC‐LF diet.     

Dietary fish oil positively regulates plasma leptin and adiponectin levels in sucrose-fed, insulin-resistant rats

Insulin resistance and adiposity induced by a long-term sucrose-rich diet (SRD) in rats could be reversed by fish oil (FO). Regulation of plasma leptin and adiponectin levels, as well as their gene expression, by FO might be implicated in these findings. This study was designed to evaluate the long-term regulation of leptin and adiponectin by dietary FO in a dietary model of insulin resistance induced by long-term SRD in rats and to determine their impact on adiposity and insulin sensitivity. Rats were randomized to consume a control diet (CD; n = 25) or an SRD (n = 50) for 7 mo. Subsequently, the SRD-fed rats were randomized to consume SRD+FO or to continue on SRD for an additional 2 mo. Long-term SRD induced overweight and decreased both plasma leptin and adiponectin levels without change in gene expression. Dyslipidemia, adiposity, and insulin resistance accompanied these modifications. Shifting the source of fat to FO for 2 mo increased plasma levels of both adipokines, reversed insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, and improved adiposity. These results were not associated with modifications in gene expression. These results suggest that increasing both adipokines by dietary FO might play an essential role in the normalization of insulin resistance and adiposity in dietary-induced, insulin-resistant models.     

Diet‐induced Obesity Delays Cardiovascular Recovery from Stress in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Objective: Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) responses to stress are significant predictors of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Because obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, we examined whether diet‐induced obesity alters the BP and HR responses to stress and whether these alterations are associated with augmented cardiovascular morbidity in the rat. Research Methods and Procedures: Adult male spontaneously hypertensive rats were fed either a normal diet or high‐fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. At weeks 0 and 12, body weight was measured, and BP and HR were recorded by radiotelemetry throughout three consecutive day and night periods and in response to 30‐minute immobilization stress. At the end of the 12‐week intervention, the rats were sacrificed, and their organs and sera were collected. Results: With the intervention, HFD rats showed a significantly greater increase in body weight (as expected) and circulating leptin and free fatty acid levels compared with normal diet rats. In addition, they showed similar increases in BP and HR elevations during stress but significantly slower BP and HR decreases after stress. These HFD‐induced delays in stress recovery were associated with BP and HR elevations during the night (behaviorally active) period and with augmentations in cardiac mass. Discussion: The results of this study indicate that, in spontaneously hypertensive rats, dietary obesity delays cardiovascular recovery from stress, and, in parallel, it promotes the development of nocturnal hypertension as well as cardiac hypertrophy. This suggests that dietary obesity may significantly potentiate the impact of daily stressful experiences on the cardiovascular system.