• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.311-318
• /
• 2018

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplementation has been suggested to negatively correlate with obesity in humans and other animals. Previous studies, including ours, have demonstrated that a high-fat diet (HFD) induces obesity and related diseases such as hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Here, we investigated the effects of vitamin C on visceral adipocyte hypertrophy and glucose intolerance in C57BL/6J mice. Mice received a low-fat diet (LFD, 10% kcal fat), HFD (45% kcal fat), or the same HFD supplemented with vitamin C (HFD-VC, 1% w/w) for 15 weeks. Visceral adiposity and glucose intolerance were examined using metabolic measurements, histology, and gene expression analyses. Mice in the HFD-VC supplementation group had reduced body weight, mesenteric fat mass, and mesenteric adipocyte size compared with HFD-fed mice. Vitamin C intake in obese mice also decreased the mRNA levels of lipogenesis-related genes (i.e., stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c) in mesenteric adipose tissues, inhibited hyperglycemia, and improved glucose tolerance. In addition, vitamin C attenuated the HFD-induced increase in the size of pancreatic islets. These results suggest that vitamin C suppresses HFD-induced visceral adipocyte hypertrophy and glucose intolerance in part by decreasing the visceral adipose expression of genes involved in lipogenesis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.355-361
• /
• 2012

We investigated to verify whether the $PPAR{\alpha}$ agonist fenofibrate regulates adipose tissue metabolism and to determine the molecular mechanism involved in this regulation. After male mice (C57BL/6J) received a high fat diet with or without fenofibrate for 6 weeks, the effects of fenofibrate on not only adipose tissue weight, visceral adipocyte size, serum lipid and glucose levels, but also the expression of uncoupling proteins (UCPs). Mice given a fenofibrate-supplemented high fat diet showed reduced both visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue weights versus high fat diet-fed animals. The size of visceral adipocytes was significantly decreased by fenofibrate treatment. The administration of fenofibrate resulted in decreased serum levels of triglycerides, free fatty acids, and glucose. Moreover, fenofibrate up-regulated mRNA levels of visceral adipose tissue UCP2 and skeletal muscle UCP3. Therefore, our results suggest that the increases in the expression of UCPs by fenofibrate seem to suppress diet-induced visceral adiposity as well as severe hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia in male mice.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.44-48
• /
• 2015

Body fat distribution in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is characterized by reduce lean body mass (LBM), increased total body fat mass (FM), and lower percentage of visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Individuals with PWS seem to have a lower risk for insulin resistance with high levels of adiponectin, an anti-atherogenic adipocytokine that is decreased in visceral fat hypertrophy subjects compared to simple obese subjects, both in children and in adults. The mechanism of the reduction in visceral adiposity in PWS is still unclear. It might be related to qualitative intrinsic characteristics of adipocyte or novel genetic influences on the control of fat distribution. However, obesity remains a critical problem, and obesity status plays a crucial role in individual metabolic risk clustering and development of metabolic syndrome (Mets) in PWS children and adults. Long-term growth hormone (GH) treatment after cessation of skeletal growth improved body composition, with an increase in lean body mass and a reduction in total body fat and subcutaneous and visceral fat in PWS adults. Thus, the role of GH is important after childhood because it might attenuate obesity and Mets in PWS adult by adipocyte modification.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.823-830
• /
• 2005

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of bacteria-derived $\beta$-glucan fiber on serum lipids, adiposity and uncoupling protein (UCP) expression in rats. In order to induce obesity, Sprague-Dawley weanling male rats were allowed free access to AIN-76A diet until 4 weeks of age, and fed high-fat diet (beef tallow, $40\%$ of calories as fat) for 6 weeks until 10 weeks of age. Rats were then fed with $0\%$ thigh- fat control group), $1\%$, or $5\%$ bacterial ~-glucan supplemented high-fat diets (w/w) for another 6 weeks. For comparison, normal control group was fed with AIN-76 diet $11.7\%$ fat). Supplementation with bacterial $\beta$-glucan resulted in a significant reduction of high-fat-induced white fat (i.e., visceral and peritoneal fat) development, adipocyte hypertrophy, and development of hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia. Serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and free fatty acid levels were greatly reduced, but, HDL-cholesterol concentrations were increased by bacterial $\beta$-glucan supplementation. Serum leptin level was lower in the $\beta$-glucan groups than in the high-fat group. The expression of UCPs (UCP1, UCP2, and UCP3) in brown adipose tissue (BAT) were significantly increased by $5\%$ bacterial $\beta$-glucan-containing diet. This study suggests that the anti-obesity effect of $5\%$ bacterial $\beta$-glucan is attributed to upregulation of UCPs and inefficient energy utilization.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.796-804
• /
• 2004

We found previously that dietary high fat caused obesity, and levan supplementation to the regular diet reduced adiposity and serum lipids. In the present study, we examined the effects of levan [high-molecular-mass $\beta$-(2,6)-linked fructose polymer] supplement on the development of obesity and lipid metabolism in rats fed with high-fat diet. Thus, to determine whether the dietary levan may have the anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effects, 4-wk-old Sprague Dawley male rats were fed with high-fat diet for 6 wk to induce obesity, and subsequently fed with 0, 1, 5, or 10% levan supplemented high-fat diets (w/w) for another 4 wk. For the comparison, a normal control group was fed with AIN-76A diet. Supplementation with levan resulted in a significant reduction of high-fat-induced body weight gain, white fat (i.e., epididymal, visceral, and peritoneal fat) development, adipocyte hypertrophy, and the development of hyperinsulinemia and hyperlipidemia in a dose-dependent manner. Serum triglyceride and free fatty acid levels were greatly reduced by levan supplementation. Serum total cholesterol level was reduced, whereas the HDL cholesterol level was increased by dietary levan. The expression of uncoupling protein (UCP) was increased by dietary high fat, and was further induced by levan supplementation. The mRNA level of UCP1, 2, and 3 in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and UCP3 in skeletal muscle was upregulated in rats fed with dietary levan. In conclusion, upregulated UCP mRNA expression may contribute to suppression of development of obesity through increased energy expenditure. The present results suggest that levan supplementation to the diet is beneficial in suppressing diet-induced obesity and hyperlipidemia.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.104-110
• /
• 2015

Objectives: The herb of Agastache rugosa (AR) is a traditional herbal medicine used for colds, vomiting and furuncles. However, there are few reports to investigate the inhibitory effects of AR on obesity. In this study, the effects of AR on high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and its mechanism of actions were investigated in experimental animals. Methods: The mice were fed HFD for 4 weeks to induce obesity. After randomly divided into normal fat diet, HFD and AR groups, 200 mg/kg of AR was administrated for 4 weeks with continuous HFD feeding while vehicle was orally treated to HFD group. Food intake and body weight were recorded weekly. Results: Increased body weight by HFD was improved by AR treatment. AR administration inhibited an increase of visceral fat weight as well as adipocyte hypertrophy. Hepatic steatosis was ameliorated in AR-treated mice. In addition, treatment of AR attenuated the expression of adipogenic transcription factor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma in the epididymal adipose tissue. Also the increased serum leptin level by HFD was maintained in AR group, leading to inhibition of food intake. Conclusions: AR treatment showed inhibitory effects on HFD-induced obesity by inhibition of PPAR-gamma and reduction of food intake. AR could be an alternative treatment for obesity.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.48-53
• /
• 2006

Although garlic has been reported to have impressive effects in lowering serum lipids, there have been controversial evaluations on these effects. To find the potential fator causing the inconsistency in the previous studies, we examined the effects of two types of garlic according to the producing-area (hangihyung garlic, nangihyung garlic) on serum lipid profiles and leptin level. Thirthy six of 4 wk old Sprague Dawley male rats fed high fat diet (40% of calories as fat) for 6 wks to induce obesity, and subsequently fed 5% garlic powder supplemented (HF+H: hangihyung garlic powder, HF+N: nangihyung garlic powder) high fat diets (w/w) for further 5 wk. For the comparison, normal control group fed AIN-76A diet (11.7% of calories as fat). Supplementation with hangihyung and nangihyung garlic resulted in a significant reduction of high fat induced body weight gain, white fat (i.e., epididymal, visceral and peritoneal fat) development, adipocyte hypertrophy and the development of hyperinsulinemia and hyperliptinemia. Serum triglyceride and total cholesterol level was greatly reduced by hangihyung garlic supplementation (p<0.05). The HDL-cholesterol level was increased by dietary hangihyung and nangihyung garlic. There were slight non-significant decreases in triglyceride and total cholesterol of HF+N group as compared to those of HF group. Leptin level of HF+H group was found to be significantly lower than HF group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference among N group and HF+N group. These results suggest that hangihyung garlic may lead to the higher activity in improving lipid profiles than nangihyung garlic. Whether the hypolipidemic effect of garlic increases in a species-dependent has yet to be determined and awaits further research.