The Omega-3 Fatty Acids EPA and DHA, as a Part of a Murine High-Fat Diet, Reduced Lipid Accumulation in Brown and White Adipose Tissues.

Excess energy intake can trigger an uncontrolled inflammatory response, leading to systemic low-grade inflammation and metabolic disturbances that are hypothesised to contribute to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are suggested to mitigate this inflammatory response, but the mechanisms are unclear, especially at the tissue level. Adipose tissues, the first tissues to give an inflammatory response, may be an important target site of action for EPA and DHA.

Splenic Immune Response Is Down-Regulated in C57BL/6J Mice Fed Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid Enriched High Fat Diet.

Dietary -3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are associated with reduction of inflammation, although the mechanisms are poorly understood, especially how the spleen, as a secondary lymphoid organ, is involved. To investigate the effects of EPA and DHA on spleen gene expression, male C57BL/6J mice were fed high fat diets (HFD) differing in fatty acid composition, either based on corn oil (HFD-CO), or CO enriched with 2 g/100 g EPA and DHA (HFD-ED), for eight weeks. Spleen tissue was analyzed using transcriptomics and for fatty acids profiling.

Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acid-Enriched High Fat Diet Delays Skeletal Muscle Degradation in Mice.

Low-grade chronic inflammatory conditions such as ageing, obesity and related metabolic disorders are associated with deterioration of skeletal muscle (SkM). Human studies have shown that marine fatty acids influence SkM function, though the underlying mechanisms of action are unknown. As a model of diet-induced obesity, we fed C57BL/6J mice either a high fat diet (HFD) with purified marine fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (HFD-ED), a HFD with corn oil, or normal mouse chow for 8 weeks; and used transcriptomics to identify the molecular effects of EPA and DHA on SkM.

Six Tissue Transcriptomics Reveals Specific Immune Suppression in Spleen by Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids.

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are suggested to modulate immune function, but the effects of dietary fatty acids composition on gene expression patterns in immune organs have not been fully characterized. In the current study we investigated how dietary fatty acids composition affects the total transcriptome profile, and especially, immune related genes in two immune organs, spleen (SPL) and bone marrow cells (BMC). Four tissues with metabolic function, skeletal muscle (SKM), white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), and liver (LIV), were investigated as a comparison.

Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid-enriched high fat diet delays the development of fatty liver in mice.

Background: Low hepatic content of n-3 PUFA has been associated with NAFLD in humans. Whether this is associated with reduced dietary intake or increased turnover of these FA is not clear. We have here investigated the effects of dietary fat quality on hepatic lipid storage and transcriptomics over time.

Postprandial lipid and insulin responses among healthy, overweight men to mixed meals served with baked herring, pickled herring or baked, minced beef.

Purpose: The aim was to compare postprandial lipid, insulin and vitamin D responses after consumption of three otherwise identical meals served either with baked herring, pickled herring or with baked, minced beef.

Methods: Seventeen healthy, overweight men (mean age 58 years, BMI 26.4-29.

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids increase survival and decrease bacterial load during septic Staphylococcus aureus infection and improve neutrophil function in mice.

Severe infection, including sepsis, is an increasing clinical problem that causes prolonged morbidity and substantial mortality. At present, antibiotics are essentially the only pharmacological treatment for sepsis. The incidence of resistance to antibiotics is increasing; therefore, it is critical to find new therapies for sepsis.

Dietary herring improves plasma lipid profiles and reduces atherosclerosis in obese low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice.

Diet is a significant modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and high fish intake has been associated with vascular health in population studies. However, intervention studies have been inconclusive. In this study, male low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice were given 16-week high fat/high sucrose diets, supplemented with either minced herring fillets or minced beef.

Postnatal essential fatty acid deficiency in mice affects lipoproteins, hepatic lipids, fatty acids and mRNA expression.

We have previously reported that essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) during suckling in mice resulted in an adult lean phenotype and a resistance to diet-induced obesity. We now hypothesized that postnatal EFAD would cause long-term effects on lipid metabolism. C57BL/6 mice were fed an EFAD or a control diet from the 16th day of gestation and throughout lactation.

Prenatal essential fatty acid deficiency in mice results in long-term gender-specific effects on body weight and glucose metabolism.

Essential fatty acids are important for normal growth and development in early life. However, the long-term effects of prenatal essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) on the adult metabolism remain to be determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an EFAD diet given to mice during late gestation on body weight and body composition, and metabolism in the adult offspring.

Reverse feeding suppresses the activity of the GH axis in rats and induces a preobesogenic state.

Reversed feeding (RF) is known to disrupt hormone rhythmicity and metabolism. Although these effects may be mediated in part by phase inversion of glucocorticoid secretion, the precise mechanism is incompletely characterized. In this study, we demonstrate that acute nocturnal food deprivation in male rats suppressed the amplitude of spontaneous GH secretion during the dark phase by 62% (P < 0.

Nonlinear microscopy of lipid storage and fibrosis in muscle and liver tissues of mice fed high-fat diets.

Hallmarks of high-fat Western diet intake, such as excessive lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle and liver as well as liver fibrosis, are investigated in tissues from mice using nonlinear microscopy, second harmonic generation (SHG), and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), supported by conventional analysis methods. Two aspects are presented; intake of standard chow versus Western diet, and a comparison between two high-fat Western diets of different polyunsaturated lipid content. CARS microscopy images of intramyocellular lipid droplets in muscle tissue show an increased amount for Western diet compared to standard diet samples.

Postnatal deficiency of essential fatty acids in mice results in resistance to diet-induced obesity and low plasma insulin during adulthood.

Our objective was to investigate the long-term metabolic effects of postnatal essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD). Mouse dams were fed an EFAD diet or an isoenergetic control diet 4 days before delivery and throughout lactation. The pups were weaned to standard diet (STD) and were later subdivided into two groups: receiving high fat diet (HFD) or STD.

Identifying molecular effects of diet through systems biology: influence of herring diet on sterol metabolism and protein turnover in mice.

Background: Changes in lifestyle have resulted in an epidemic development of obesity-related diseases that challenge the healthcare systems worldwide. To develop strategies to tackle this problem the focus is on diet to prevent the development of obesity-associated diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). This will require methods for linking nutrient intake with specific metabolic processes in different tissues.

Regulation of human aldoketoreductase 1C3 (AKR1C3) gene expression in the adipose tissue.

Aldoketoreductase 1C3 (AKR1C3) is a functional prostaglandin F synthase and a negative modulator of the availability of ligands for the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma). AKR1C3 expression is known to be associated with adiposity, one of the components of the metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to characterize the expression of AKR1C3 in the adipose tissue and adipocytes and to investigate its potential role in the metabolic syndrome.

Postnatal testosterone exposure results in insulin resistance, enlarged mesenteric adipocytes, and an atherogenic lipid profile in adult female rats: comparisons with estradiol and dihydrotestosterone.

Postnatal events contribute to features of the metabolic syndrome in adulthood. In this study, postnatally administered testosterone reduced insulin sensitivity and increased the mesenteric fat depot, the size of mesenteric adipocytes, serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, and the atherogenic index in adult female rats. To assess the involvement of estrogen and androgen receptors in these programming effects, we compared testosterone-exposed rats to rats exposed to estradiol or dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Separation of human adipocytes by size: hypertrophic fat cells display distinct gene expression.

Enlarged adipocytes are associated with insulin resistance and are an independent predictor of type 2 diabetes. To understand the molecular link between these diseases and adipocyte hypertrophy, we developed a technique to separate human adipocytes from an adipose tissue sample into populations of small cells (mean 57.6+/-3.

Plasma cells and Fc receptors in human adipose tissue--lipogenic and anti-inflammatory effects of immunoglobulins on adipocytes.

We have previously reported high immunoglobulin expression in human omental adipose tissue. The aim of this work was to investigate plasma cell density and Fc receptor (FcR) expression in human adipose tissue depots and in vitro effects of immunoglobulins on adipocyte function. Plasma cell density was higher in the visceral compared to the subcutaneous depot (10.

Evaluation of reference genes for studies of gene expression in human adipose tissue.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate reference genes for expression studies of human adipose tissue.

Research Methods And Procedures: Using 52 human adipose tissue expression profiles (HU95), 10 putative reference genes with the lowest variation in expression levels were selected for further studies. Expression stability of these 10 novel and 5 previously established reference genes was evaluated by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Gender-related long-term effects in adult rats by perinatal dietary ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids.

Epidemiological studies in humans have shown that perinatal nutrition affects health later in life. We have previously shown that the ratio of n-6 to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the maternal diet affects serum leptin levels and growth of the suckling pups. The aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term effects of various ratios of the dietary n-6 and n-3 PUFA during the perinatal period on serum leptin, insulin, and triacylglycerol, as well as body growth in the adult offspring.

Neonatal losartan treatment suppresses renal expression of molecules involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions.

Lack of neonatal angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT(1)) stimulation produces renal abnormalities characterized by papillary atrophy and impaired urinary concentrating ability, but the mechanisms involved are still unclear. DNA microarray was used to identify genes that are differentially expressed in renal medulla in response to neonatal treatment with AT(1) receptor antagonist losartan (30 mg/kg per d), which commenced within 24 h after birth. The data showed that losartan treatment for 48 h downregulated 68 genes, approximately 30% of which encode various components of cytoskeleton and cytoskeleton-associated proteins, extracellular matrix, and enzymes involved in extracellular matrix maturation or turnover.

Molecular characterization of a local sulfonylurea system in human adipose tissue.

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels are present in many cell types and link cellular metabolism to the membrane potential. These channels are heterooctamers composed of two subunits. The sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) subunits are targets for drugs that are inhibitors or openers of the KATP channels, while the inwardly rectifying K+ (Kir) subunits form the ion channel.

High expression of complement components in omental adipose tissue in obese men.

Objective: Accumulation of visceral fat is recognized as a predictor of obesity-related metabolic disturbances. Factors that are predominantly expressed in this depot could mediate the link between visceral obesity and associated diseases.

Research Methods And Procedures: Paired subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue biopsies were obtained from 10 obese men.

Leptin levels in rat offspring are modified by the ratio of linoleic to alpha-linolenic acid in the maternal diet.

The supply of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is important for optimal fetal and postnatal development. We have previously shown that leptin levels in suckling rats are reduced by maternal PUFA deficiency. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of maternal dietary intake of (n-3) and (n-6) PUFA on the leptin content in rat milk and serum leptin levels in suckling pups.

Depot-specific expression of fibroblast growth factors in human adipose tissue.

Objective: We have investigated the expression of several fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and FGF-receptors (FGFRs) in human adipose tissue and adipose-tissue cell fractions obtained from both subcutaneous (sc) and omental (om) depots.

Research Methods And Procedures: Adipose tissue (sc and om) was obtained from obese men. Gene expression was analyzed by DNA microarrays in triplicate (n = 6) or by real-time polymerase chain reaction (n = 9).