• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.766-775
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• 2011

We investigated the effect of high molecular weight polygamma- glutamic acid (hm ${\gamma}$-PGA) on adiposity and lipid metabolism of rats in the presence of an obesity-inducing diet. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a normal-fat (11.4% kcal fat, NFC) or high-fat (51% kcal fat, HFC) diet. After 5 weeks, half of each diet-fed group was treated with hm ${\gamma}$-PGA (NFP or HFP) for 4 weeks. The HFC group had significantly higher body weight, visceral fat mass, fasting serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and leptin, and lower serum HDL cholesterol level compared with those of the NFC group (p < 0.05). Treatment with hm ${\gamma}$-PGA decreased body weight gain and perirenal fat mass (p<0.05), fasting serum total cholesterol, and mRNA expression of glucose-6- phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), regardless of dietary fat contents (p < 0.01). However, hm ${\gamma}$-PGA increased serum HDL cholesterol in the HFC group (p < 0.05). In vitro, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A (HMGCoA) reductase activity was suppressed by the addition of hm ${\gamma}$-PGA. In agreement with observations in animal study, the supplementation of hm ${\gamma}$-PGA (150 mg/day) to 20 female subjects in an 8-week double-blind, placebocontrolled study resulted in a tendency to decrease total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentrations. We thus conclude that dietary supplementation of hm ${\gamma}$-PGA may act as a hypocholestrolemic agent, secondary to its inhibitor effect on HMG-CoA reductase, and decrease abdominal adiposity by decreasing hepatic lipogenesis. The present study is an important first step in establishing the effect of hm ${\gamma}$-PGA on cholesterol levels in rats and humans.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.49-53
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• 2015

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex multisystem genetic disorder characterized by hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction. Many features of PWS indicate a deficiency in growth hormone (GH) production, and these findings provide a rationale for GH therapy in PWS. It is possible that rhGH therapy could have beneficial effects in adults with PWS, similar to those in adults with GH deficiency (GHD) of non-syndromic cause. However, there is a paucity of data on the use of GH in adults with PWS. Here, the previous studies about efficacy and safety of rhGH therapy in PWS adults are summarized. Briefly, rhGH therapy in PWS adults may improve body composition, leading to increased lean body mass and decreased fat mass, as well as decreased subcutaneous and visceral adiposity without overall changes in body mass index. There may be at least transient deterioration in glucose homoeostasis in some PWS patients on rhGH therapy, which requires further study. In addition, clinical care guidelines for rhGH therapy in adults with PWS were suggested.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.823-830
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• 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 the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2013

Boesenbergia pandurata (Roxb.) Schltr. has been reported to possess anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Boesenbergia pandurata extract (BPE) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice model. C57BL/6J mice were fed with either the high-fat diet or a 0.5% BPE-supplemented HFD for 8 weeks. The BPE-containing HFD significantly reduced body weight gain and the accumulation of visceral fat mass in mice model without altering the amount of food intake. Moreover, mice fed with BPE-containing HFD had lower concentrations of lipids in their blood, lower hepatic lipid accumulation, and lower serum leptin levels compared with the HFD-fed mice. RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression levels of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor ${\gamma}2$ ($PPAR{\gamma}2$) and CCAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$) genes in the epididymal fat tissue of mice fed the BPE-containing HFD increased 1.16- and 1.30-fold, respectively, compared to mice fed HFD only. In conclusion, BPE attenuated visceral fat accumulation and improved dyslipidemia in a mice model with HFD-induced obesity.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.3973-3981
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• 2015

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of dietary ${\beta}$-glucan obtained from bacterial fermentation on the adiposity and serum lipids level in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats fed high fat diet for 6 weeks to induce obesity, and subsequently fed with 0% (high fat control group), 0.1% or 0.5% ${\beta}$-glucan supplemented high-fat diets (w/w) for another 5 weeks. For comparison, normal control groups fed AIN-76A diet. Supplemented with 0.1% ${\beta}$-glucan resulted in a significant reduction of high-fat induced peritoneal fat and visceral fat development by 16%, 19%, and 28%, respectively(P<0.05). Serum free fatty acid levels were reduced(by 19%), whereas the HDL cholesterol level was increased(by 50%) by 0.1% dietary ${\beta}$-glucan(P<0.05). In conclusion, dietary ${\beta}$-glucan reduced adiposity and improved serum lipids in obese rats fed high fat diet. The present study suggest that ${\beta}$-glucan supplementation to the diet is beneficial in suppressing diet-induced obesity and dyslipidemia.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.865-871
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• 2001

The adipose tissue hormone leptin has been proposed to be involved in the regulation of flood intake and energy expenditure via thermogenesis by uncoupling protein(UCP) in brown adipose tissue(BAT). The objective of the study was to examine the effects of high fat diet on the serum leptin levels, BAT UCPl expression and the body fat mass in rats after weaning. During experimental period of 12 weeks, 4 male Sprague-Dawley rats were killed for the baseline experiment at 4 weeks of age while the remaining rats were fed the two different diets: the control diet AIN-76A(n = 20), high fat(beef tallow) diet(n = 20) ad libitum, which provided 11.7% or 40% of calories as fat, respectively. At 16 weeks of age, the increase in the food efficiency ratio(FER) was related to fat mass in rats on high fat diet. Serum leptin level was increased by age and dietary high fat. There was no difference in serum insulin level between groups until 10 weeks of age, but rats fed high fat diet for 12 weeks showed hyperinsulinemia. The amount of body fat pads was increased significantly in high fat group compared to normal diet group. Visceral fat mass affected acutely by high fat diet, as a result, it was higher in rats fed high fat diet for 2 weeks than normal diet. At 16 weeks of age, BAT and visceral fat mass were significantly high in high fat group. Also, the serum leptin levels reflected the amount of body fat mass. BAT UCPI mRNA expression increased with age and dietary high fat. This study demonstrates that dietary high fat increased serum leptin levels, BAT UCPI expression and body fat mass. Futhermore, in rats fed high fat diets, the increases in leptin and UCPI expression counteracts only in part the excess adiposity and obesity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.355-363
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• 2021

Dynamic changes in adipose tissue blood flow (ATBF) with nutritional status play a role in the regulation of metabolic and endocrine functions. Activation of the sympathetic nervous system via β-adrenergic receptors (β-AR) contributes to the control of postprandial enhancement of ATBF. Herein, we sought to identify the role of each β-AR subtype in the regulation of ATBF in mice. We monitored the changes in visceral epididymal ATBF (VAT BF), induced by local infusion of dobutamine, salbutamol, and CL316,243 (a selective β1-, β2-, and β3-AR agonist, respectively) into VAT of lean CD-1 mice and global adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) knockout (KO) mice, using laser Doppler flowmetry. Administration of CL316,243, known to promote lipolysis in adipocytes, significantly increased VAT BF of CD-1 mice to a greater extent compared to that of the vehicle, whereas administration of dobutamine or salbutamol did not produce significant differences in VAT BF. The increase in VAT BF induced by β3-AR stimulation disappeared in ATGL KO mice as opposed to their wild-type (WT) littermates, implying a role of ATGL-mediated lipolysis in the regulation of VAT BF. Different vascular reactivities occurred despite no significant differences in vessel density and adiposity between the groups. Additionally, the expression levels of the angiogenesis-related genes were significantly higher in VAT of ATGL KO mice than in that of WT, implicating an association of ATBF responsiveness with angiogenic activity in VAT. Our findings suggest a potential role of β3-AR signaling in the regulation of VAT BF via ATGL-mediated lipolysis in mice.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.91-95
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• 2009

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $\alpha$ and estrogen are believed to be involved in metabolic changes leading to obesity. To test this relationship, we divided female wildtype and PPAR$\alpha$-deficient mice fed on a high fat diet into the following groups: mock-operated, ovariectomized (OVX), and $E_2$-treated. The visceral white adipose tissue and plasma cholesterol levels were increased significantly in wild type OVX and decreased in the $E_2$-treated group, but interestingly not in PPAR$\alpha$-deficient mice. The mRNA levels of lipoprotein lipase in adipose tissue were also increased in only wild type OVX and decreased significantly in $E_2$-treated mice. These novel results suggest the possibility of signaling crosstalk between PPAR$\alpha$ and $E_2$, causing obesity in vivo.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.256-266
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• 2019

In this study, obese adults were compared for their ability to predict obesity and lipid related variables and their optimal cutoff values to predict metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. In this study, 9,256 adults aged 20 years or older and less than 80 years old, who were in the Gyeonggi region from January 2014 to December 2016 and who were examined at a general hospital, were enrolled. The diagnostic criteria for obesity were WHO (World Health Organization), and BMI $25kg/m^2$ or more presented in the Asia-Pacific region. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed based on the criteria of American Heart Association / National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (AHA / NHLBI). According to the results of receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, Triglyceride / HDL-cholesterol (TG / HDL-C), Triglyceride and Glucose (TyG) index, lipid accumulation product (LAP) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) showed high predictive power for diagnosing metabolic syndrome. The diagnostic accuracy of LAP (AUC: 0.854) for males and VAI (0.888) for females was the highest. The optimal cutoff value of LAP was 42.71 for male and 35.44 for female, and the cutoff value of VAI was 1.92 for male and 2.15 for female. In addition, WHtR (waist to height ratio), TyG index, and LAP were used as predictors of insulin resistance in obese adults. Therefore, LAP and VAI were superior to other indicators in predicting metabolic syndrome in obese adults.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2021

High fructose diet is associated with the global metabolic syndrome (MtS) pandemic. MtS develops in early life, depending on prenatal and postnatal nutritional status. We hypothesized that ovariectomy increases the chances of developing MtS in adult offspring following high fructose intake by the mother. Pregnant C57BL/6J mouse dams drank water with or without 20% fructose during pregnancy and lactation. After weaning, the pups were fed regular chow. The offspring were evaluated until they were 7 months of age after the mice in each group, both sexes, were gonadectomized at 4 weeks of age. The offspring (both sexes) of the dams who had high fructose intake developed MtS. In the offspring of dams who drank tap water, orchiectomy increased the body weight gain and body fat accumulation, while ovariectomy increased the body fat accumulation as compared to the sham controls. In the offspring of dams with high fructose intake, orchiectomy decreased the body weight gain, body fat accumulation, visceral adiposity, and glucose intolerance, while ovariectomy exacerbated all of them as compared to the sham operations. These data indicate that ovariectomy encourages the development of MtS in adult offspring after maternal high fructose intake, while orchiectomy prevents the development of MtS. The sex difference indicates that male and female sex hormones play contradictory roles in the development of MtS.