17β-estradiol improves hepatic mitochondrial biogenesis and function through PGC1B.

Sexual dimorphism in mitochondrial biogenesis and function has been described in many rat tissues, with females showing larger and more functional mitochondria. The family of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 (PGC1) plays a central role in the regulatory network governing mitochondrial biogenesis and function, but little is known about the different contribution of hepatic PGC1A and PGC1B in these processes. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of 17β-estradiol (E2) in mitochondrial biogenesis and function in liver and assess the contribution of both hepatic PGC1A and PGC1B as mediators of these effects.

Sex-dependent differences in rat hepatic lipid accumulation and insulin sensitivity in response to diet-induced obesity.

Ectopic deposition of lipids in liver and other extrahepatic tissues alters their function and occurs once adipose tissue fat storage capacity is exceeded. We investigated sexual dimorphism in the effects of dietary obesity on the liver insulin signaling pathway, as well as its connection to differences in hepatic fat accumulation. Ten-week-old Wistar rats of both sexes were fed a standard diet or a high-fat diet for 26 weeks.

Phytotherapy in a rat model of hyperoxaluria: the antioxidant effects of quercetin involve serum paraoxonase 1 activation.

Serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1) has been reported to be an important contributor to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of HDL, avoiding LDL oxidation. The activity of this enzyme is reduced in patients with renal insufficiency, caused by elevated oxidative stress and disturbances of apolipoprotein metabolism. Therapeutic utilization of antioxidants to control renal oxidative stress may be an effective therapy in renal protection.

Effects of ovariectomy and 17-β estradiol replacement on rat brown adipose tissue mitochondrial function.

Taking into account the sexual dimorphism previously reported regarding mitochondrial function and biogenesis in brown adipose tissue, the aim of the present study was to go further into these differences by investigating the effect of ovariectomy and 17-β estradiol (E2) replacement on brown adipose tissue mitochondrial function. In this study, fourteen-week-old control female and ovariectomized female Wistar rats were used. Rats were ovariectomized at 5 weeks of age and were treated every 2 days with placebo (OVX group) or E2 (10 μg/kg) (OVX+E2 group) for 4 weeks before sacrifice.

Long-term high-fat-diet feeding impairs mitochondrial biogenesis in liver of male and female rats.

Background/aims: Mitochondrial biogenesis includes both mitochondrial proliferation and differentiation and its regulation under different physiological conditions is not clear. Given the sexual dimorphism previously found in mitochondrial function, the aim of this study was to investigate the gender-dependent effect of chronic high-fat-diet (HFD) feeding on rat liver mitochondrial function and biogenesis.

Methods: Ten-week old male and female rats were fed a HFD (26% fat) or a control diet (2.

Time-dependent modulation of rat serum paraoxonase 1 activity by fasting.

High-density lipoprotein-associated paraoxonase 1 (PON1) protects the endothelium from the pro-oxidant activity of oxidised low-density lipoprotein. Whereas fasting has been related to increased oxidative stress, intermittent fasting and caloric restriction are associated to increased resistance to oxidative injury. Taking into consideration that serum PON1 activity is modulated by a restriction of caloric intake and because there is no evidence regarding PON1 response to total food deprivation, we investigated whether PON1 activity is involved in the response aimed to counteract the greater oxidative stress associated to fasting and whether serum PON1 activity is altered by the length of food deprivation.