The age-related inverse relationship between ob and lipogenic enzymes genes expression in rat white adipose tissue

To determine whether increase of serum leptin (the known natural inhibitor of lipogenic enzymes gene expression) concentration would account for the age-related decrease in lipogenesis (a) serum leptin concentration; (b) leptin mRNA abundance; (c) the rate of fatty acid synthesis in vivo; (d) lipogenic enzymes activity and (e) mRNA levels were assayed in white adipose tissue (WAT) of male young and old rats. We found that leptin mRNA abundance in WAT and serum leptin concentration was much lower in young than in old animals. In contrast, the rate of fatty acid synthesis in WAT was much higher in young animals. The old rats displayed much lower lipogenic enzymes activities (acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), ATP-citrate lyase (ACL), malic enzyme (ME), glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase 6PGDH) and mRNA abundance as compared to young rats. Considering the inverse relationship between serum leptin concentration and lipogenic enzymes genes expression and known inhibitory effect of leptin on lipogenic enzymes gene expression, one can conclude that the increase of ob gene expression could at least partly account for the reduced WAT lipogenic enzymes genes expression in old animals.     

Leptin decreases lipogenic enzyme gene expression through modification of SREBP-1c gene expression in white adipose tissue of aging rats

Aging is associated with a significant reduction of lipogenic enzyme gene expression and lipogenesis in white adipose tissue (WAT). The age-related increase of lep gene expression could be, in part, responsible for these changes. Considering that sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) plays an important role in regulation of lipogenic enzyme gene expression, it is likely that the age-related decrease of WAT lipogenic potential could be a consequence of the inhibition of SREBP-1c gene expression by leptin. We determined whether the increase of lep gene expression would account for the age-related decrease in SREBP-1c and its direct target, main lipogenic enzymes acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FAS), by assaying the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of SREBP-1c, FAS, ACC, and leptin in WAT of 2-month-old (young) and 20-month-old (old) rats. Leptin mRNA level was much higher in the old animals, whereas in contrast, old rats displayed much lower mRNA levels of SREBP-1c and lipogenic enzymes. Moreover, experimentally increased plasma leptin concentration in young rats to the value observed in old rats resulted in the decrease of SREBP-1c, FAS, and ACC mRNA levels in WAT. Thus, the increase of lep gene expression could, in part, account for the reduced SREBP-1c gene expression and, consequently, the diminished lipogenic activity in WAT of old animals.     

Increase of lipogenic enzyme mRNA levels in rat white adipose tissue after multiple cycles of starvation-refeeding

Recently, we have found that despite the significant reduction of body weight after multiple starvation-refeeding cycles, white adipose tissue (WAT) exhibits surprisingly high rates of lipogenesis and lipogenic enzyme activities. The purpose of this study was to determine the response of WAT lipogenic enzyme mRNAs of rats subjected to multiple cycles of 3 days fasting and 3 days of refeeding. Despite the body weight reduction, significant increase of lipogenic enzymes (ie, fatty acid synthase [FAS], acetyl-coenzyme A [CoA] carboxylase [ACC], adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-citrate lyase [ACL], NADP-linked malic enzyme [ME], and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase [G6PDH]) mRNAs in WAT was found after multiple cycles of starvation-refeeding of rats on standard laboratory diet. These findings, together with the results published recently, indicate that multiple cycles of starvation-refeeding cause the increased lipogenesis in WAT by upregulation of the lipogenic enzymes gene expression.     

Tissue-specific correction of lipogenic enzyme gene expression in diabetic rats given vanadate

Summary Vanadium is a potent insulinomimetic agent. In vivo, its blood glucose lowering action in insulin-deficient diabetic rats is associated with corrected expression of genes involved in hepatic glucose metabolism. In this study, we investigated whether vanadate treatment also reverses the impaired expression of genes coding for key enzymes of lipogenesis in diabetic liver and white adipose tissue. Oral administration of vanadate to streptozotocin-rats caused a 55% fall in plasma glucose levels after feeding without modifying low insulinaemia. It also partially corrected the low thyroid hormone concentrations. In untreated diabetic animals, hepatic mRNA levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase were reduced by more than 80 and 90%, respectively, in close correlation with changes in enzyme activities. Three weeks of vanadate treatment totally restored acetyl-CoA carboxylase mRNA and partially restored fatty acid synthase mRNA (71% of control levels). The activities of both lipogenic enzymes were increased 3.5 to 4-fold, to reach 45 to 65% of control values. By contrast, in white adipose tissue, vanadate modified neither expression nor activity of both lipogenic enzymes, which remained blunted (<10% of control levels). In conclusion, vanadate treatment partially restores the activities of two key lipogenic enzymes in liver, but not in white adipose tissue, of diabetic rats. This correction results from a reversal of impaired pre-translational regulatory mechanisms possibly mediated by an improvement of thyroid function and a selective restoration of liver glycolytic flux.Abbreviations ACC Acetyl-CoA carboxylase - FAS fatty acid synthase - PEPCK phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase - C non-diabetic control rats - D untreated diabetic rats - V vanadate-treated diabetic rats - SSC sodium saline citrate - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate - OD optical density - kb kilobase     

Adipose tissue loss in adjuvant arthritis is associated with a decrease in lipogenesis, but not with an increase in lipolysis

Adjuvant-induced arthritis is a model of rheumatoid arthritis that induces cachexia. In other cachectic situations, there is an increase in lipolysis resulting in a loss of adipose tissue mass. The aim of this work was to analyse the effect of chronic arthritis, induced by adjuvant injection, on white adipose tissue (WAT). For this purpose, rats were killed 10 days after adjuvant injection, when the first external symptoms appeared, on days 15 and 22 when the external signs of the illness reach their severest level. As arthritis decreases food intake, a pair-fed group was also included. Serum concentrations of insulin, leptin, adiponectin, glycerol and nitrites, as well as gene expression of leptin, adiponectin, hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), fatty acid synthase (FAS), tumour necrosis factor alpha and zinc-alpha(2)-glycoprotein (ZAG) were determined. Arthritis decreased food intake between days 5 and 16, but not during the last 5 days of the experiment. There was a marked decrease in relative adipose tissue weight and in serum leptin and adiponectin as well as in their gene expression in WAT in arthritic rats. Arthritis decreased the gene expression of FAS in the WAT. However, none of these effects was found in pair-fed rats. Arthritis did not increase lipolysis, since arthritic rats have lower serum concentrations of glycerol, HSL mRNA in WAT, as well as liver ZAG mRNA than the pair-fed or control rats. These data suggest that in chronic arthritis the decrease in white adipose mass is secondary to a reduced adipose lipogenesis, and this effect is not mainly due to the decrease in food intake.     

Lipogenesis, aging and hormonal regulation

Thyroid hormones stimulate hepatic synthesis of fatty acids as well as activities of lipogenic enzymes. According to the present study, there also partially exists an age dependency. In livers of 3- and 18-month-old rats of the Wistar strain both the velocity of fatty acid synthesis and the activities of lipogenic enzymes were measured in dependence on thyroid function. An impaired stimulation of malic enzyme activity under hyperthyreosis conditions was found in the older animals. The velocity of fatty acid synthesis was diminished in the group of 18-month-old rats, but there was no age dependence with respect of the effect of a variation in thyroid status. In the adipose tissue of the older animals, the activities of lipogenic enzymes were lowered. In this tissue no effects of thyreohormones in either young or old rats were observed.     

Lipogenesis, aging and hormonal regulation

Thyroid hormones stimulate hepatic synthesis of fatty acids, as well as the activities of lipogenic enzymes. According to the present study, an age-dependence factor is also partially present. In livers of 3- and 18-month-old rats of the Wistar strain, both the velocity of fatty acid synthesis and the activities of lipogenic enzymes were measured in dependence on thyroid function. An impaired stimulation of malic enzyme activity under the conditions of hyperthyreosis was found in the older animals. The rate of fatty acid synthesis was diminished in the group of 18-month-old rats, but there was no age-dependence in respect of the effect of a variation in thyroid status. In adipose tissue of older animals, the activities of lipogenic enzymes were lowered. In this tissue no effects of thyroid hormones in both young and old rats were observed.     

Comparative study of the lipogenic potential of human and rat adipose tissue

The reported low activity of lipogenic enzymes (especially adenosine triphosphate [ATP]-citrate lyase) in human adipose tissue led to the general conclusion that in humans lipogenesis occurs primarily in the liver. However, recent studies indicate that the liver plays a minor role in de novo lipogenesis and suggest that adipose tissue may be the principal lipogenic human tissue. In an attempt to resolve these contradictions we reinvestigated the lipogenic potential of human adipose tissue and compared with adipose tissue of rats fed a high-fat diet for 2 weeks and fasted overnight before death. These conditions mimic the nutritional state of patients at the moment of tissue sampling. We found that overnight fasting of the rats maintained previously for 12 days on a high-fat diet caused a decrease of ATP-citrate lyase of about 7-fold. Thus, in human adipose tissue, the mean activity of ATP-citrate lyase was approximately 8 times lower than in rats fed a high-fat diet and fasted overnight, and about 50 times lower than in rats maintained on normal laboratory diet. Unlike ATP-citrate lyase, fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity was only slightly lower in human adipose tissue than in rats maintained on a normal laboratory diet. Comparable FAS activity was found when rats were fed a high-fat diet and fasted overnight. The average activities of human adipose tissue acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, malic enzyme, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were approximately 3-, 4-, and 6-fold lower than in adipose tissue from rats fed a high-fat diet and fasted overnight before tissue sampling, while the activity of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase in humans was higher than in rat adipose tissue. No significant differences in lipogenic enzyme activities were found between male and female and between lean and obese patients. The rate of fatty acid synthesis in intact pieces of human adipose tissue was approximately 5 times lower than in adipose tissue pieces of rats fed a high-fat diet and fasted overnight before tissue samples were taken. The comparison of the lipogenic potential of humans and rats (maintained on the diet to mimic the nutritional state of patients at the time of tissue sampling) suggests that human adipose tissue is an important site of fatty acid synthesis.     

Effect of acarbose on glucose homeostasis,lipogenesis and lipogenic enzyme gene expression in adipose tissue of weaned rats

Summary Acarbose is a potent intestinal glucosidase inhibitor which could have an anti-obesity property by reducing postprandial plasma glucose and insulin levels, potentially responsible for high rates of lipid synthesis in adipose tissue. We have tested this hypothesis by studying rats during the weaning period, when the lipogenic capacity of the adipose tissue develops. Rats were treated from age 19 days onwards with acarbose (10 mg/100 g diet) and studied at age 30 days. Acarbose was efficient in reducing postprandial excursions of both blood glucose and plasma insulin. Acarbose-treated rats behave like rats continuously infused with glucose with no metabolic signs of carbohydrate deprivation since gluconeogenesis was not activated. There was no massive caecal fermentation of carbohydrate since volatile fatty acids did not significantly increase in the portal blood. One of the most striking features of the acarbose-treated rats was the reduction of adipose tissue weight due to a reduced adipocyte size. This was concomitant with a reduced lipogenic capacity from glucose in isolated adipocytes under insulin stimulation. The activity of fatty acid synthase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase was decreased concomitantly with a reduced expression of their specific mRNA. This study allows the conclusion of postprandial hyperinsulinaemia and hyperglycaemia have a major role in the control of expression of lipogenic enzymes and thus on adipose tissue lipogenic capacity.     

Tissue-specific regulation of lipogenic mRNAs by thyroid hormone

We have previously shown that triiodothyronine (T₃) regulates rat fatty acid synthesis in a tissue specific manner. Here, we determined the effects of thyroid state on mRNAs encoding the lipogenic enzymes, acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FAS). S14 mRNA, a sequence tightly associated with lipogenesis, was also measured. Levels of the three mRNA were 9–13-fold higher in hyper- than hypothyroid liver. Limited expression in kidney and heart was also increased by thyroid hormone. In brown adipose tissue, highest levels were recorded in hypothyroid animals. Thyroid state did not affect expression in lung and brain. All these changes are consistent with those previously measured in fatty acid synthesis. In white adipose tissue, mRNA expression was increased by hyperthyroidism. This increase may not be reflected in fatty acid synthesis, since we recently showed lipogenesis to be reduced under these circumstances. All three mRNAs responded rapidly to T₃ in liver, but more slowly in kidney and fat. Thus, T₃ regulates lipogenesis by altering levels of ACC and FAS mRNAs. S14 mRNA changes in parallel.     

Upregulation of fatty acid synthase gene expression in experimental chronic renal failure

Hypertriglyceridemia associated with chronic renal failure (CRF) and elevated plasma concentration of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) are thought to be a consequence of the depressed lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase activities and impaired clearance of lipoproteins. However, there is some evidence that the lipoproteins overproduction might also contribute to hypertriglyceridemia in CRF. This study was performed to test the hypothesis that the increased rate of lipogenesis consequent to upregulation of fatty acid synthase (FAS), a key lipogenic enzyme, gene expression could contribute to overproduction of triacylglycerols and to hypertriglyceridemia in CRF. FAS activity, FAS protein mass (Western blot analysis), and FAS mRNA level (Northern blot analysis) in liver and epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT) were measured in male Wistar rats 6 weeks after subtotal (5 of 6) nephrectomy or sham operation. Moreover, the rate of lipogenesis in WAT was determined. The CRF group showed significant increase in FAS gene expression (measured as activity, mRNA, and protein abundance) in both liver and WAT. This was associated with the increase in the lipogenesis rate and with the increase in plasma triacylglycerol and VLDL concentrations. Our results suggest that not only decreased removal, but also an increase of triacylglycerol production could contribute, in part, to the CRF-associated hyperlipidemia. Upregulation of FAS gene expression, shown in this report for the first time, reveals another factor involved in disturbed lipid metabolism in CRF. It seems that elevated plasma insulin and cytokine concentration could play an important role in the mechanism responsible for the increased FAS gene expression in CRF.     

In vivo expression of carbohydrate responsive element binding protein in lean and obese rats

ChREBP (Carbohydrate response element binding protein) is considered to mediate the stimulatory effect of glucose on the expression of lipogenic genes. Its activity is stimulated by glucose. Less is known on the control of its expression. This expression could be controlled by nutritional (glucose, fatty acids) and hormonal (insulin) factors. We examined the in vivo nutritional control of ChREBP expression in liver and adipose tissue of Wistar rats. Compared respectively to the fed state and to a high carbohydrate diet, ChREBP mRNA concentrations were not modified by fasting or a high fat diet in rat liver and adipose tissue. FAS and ACC1 mRNA concentrations were on the contrary decreased as expected by fasting and high fat diets and these variations of FAS and ACC1 mRNA were positively related to those of SREBP-1c mRNA and protein, but not of ChREBP mRNA. Therefore i) ChREBP expression appears poorly responsive to modifications of nutritional condition, ii) modifications of the expression of ChREBP do not seem implicated in the physiological control of lipogenesis. To investigate the possible role of ChREBP in pathological situations we measured its mRNA concentrations in the liver and adipose tissue of obese Zucher rats. ChREBP expression was increased in the liver but not the adipose tissue of obese rats compared to their lean littermates. These results support a role of ChREBP in the development of hepatic steatosis and hypertriglyceridemia but not of obesity in this experimental model.     

Fatty acid synthase gene expression in human adipose tissue: association with obesity and type 2 diabetes

Aims/hypothesis Increased expression and activity of the lipogenic pathways in adipose tissue may contribute to the development of obesity. As a central enzyme in lipogenesis, the gene encoding fatty acid synthase (FASN) was identified as a candidate gene for determining body fat. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that increased FASN expression links metabolic alterations of excess energy intake, including hyperinsulinaemia, dyslipidaemia and altered adipokine profile to increased body fat mass. Subjects and methods In paired samples of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue from 196 participants (lean or obese), we investigated whether FASN mRNA expression (assessed by PCR) in adipose tissue is increased in obesity and related to visceral fat accumulation, measures of insulin sensitivity (euglycaemic–hyperinsulinaemic clamp) and glucose metabolism. Results FASN mRNA expression was increased by 1.7-fold in visceral vs subcutaneous fat. Visceral adipose tissue FASN expression was correlated with FASN protein levels, subcutaneous FASN expression, visceral fat area, fasting plasma insulin, serum concentrations of IL-6, leptin and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), and inversely with measures of insulin sensitivity, independently of age, sex and BMI. Moreover, we found significant correlations between FASN expression and markers of renal function, including serum creatinine and urinary albumin excretion. Conclusions/interpretation Increased FASN gene expression in adipose tissue is linked to visceral fat accumulation, impaired insulin sensitivity, increased circulating fasting insulin, IL-6, leptin and RBP4, suggesting an important role of lipogenic pathways in the causal relationship between consequences of excess energy intake and the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes.     

Biologic aging. 24. Circadian rhythm of lipid metabolism parameters in relation to age

The age dependence of hepatic fatty acid synthesis and of the activities of lipogenic enzymes of the liver and of adipose tissue of Wistar-rats was investigated over the 24 hours period. The data were analyzed according to the so-called "cosinor procedure" for detecting circadian rhythms and for objectively describing their parameters. In the age groups 3 and 18 months hepatic fatty acid synthesis and the lipogenic liver enzymes glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phospho-gluconate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme show circadian rhythms with maximum values in the early dark period. In adipose tissue of old rats the enzyme activities are lowered and no significant circadian rhythms for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme are detectable.     

Comparison of age-related decreases in the basal and carbohydrate inducible levels of lipogenic enzymes in adipose tissue and liver

An age-related decrease in the level of four lipogenic enzymes—malic enzyme (ME), fatty acid synthetase (FAS), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD), and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGD)—was compared in the adipose tissue and liver of rats. In adipose tissue the activity of ME per milligram of protein at one month exceeded that observed at one year by a factor of 27 or more. The bulk of the fall occurred between one and three months. Adipose FAS, G-6-PD, and 6-PGD showed a similar but less precipitous age-related decline. The extent of age-related changes in the adipose tissues consistently exceeded those observed in liver preparations from the same animal. For both fat and liver, administration of a high carbohydrate fat-free diet for four days also elicited a substantially greater incremental ME response in young rats than in old animals. The age-related changes in basal ME activity were proportional to the increments produced by dietary stimulation. Thus, as previously proposed by us for liver, the decrease in basal ME in adipose tissue may be the result of a reduced generation from dietary carbohydrate of a stimulus responsible for the induction of lipogenic enzymes. Additional experiments were performed in animals provided with 10% glucose in their drinking water and infused with high doses of insulin for 4 to 12 days. In the fat of older animals, such treatment resulted in the induction of adipose ME activity to levels almost equivalent to those achieved with similar treatment in younger animals. Whereas maximal levels of ME in the younger animals could be attained simply with the glucose in the drinking water, insulin administratin was required in the older animals. Presumably, the insulin response evoked by glucose in the younger animals elicited a maximal ME increment. In the older animals, however, the endogenous insulin response to glucose failed to achieve a comparable degree of ME induction in the fat. Since the concentrations of insulin attained in the older animals were equal to or greater than those attained in the younger rats, both in the basal and the stimulated state, the diminished ME response in the older animals can be considered to be a form of tissue insulin resistance. Diminished glucose metabolism in the adipocytes of older rats is well established even in the presence of normal plasma glucose concentrations. Therefore, the results suggest that the level of hepatic and adipose ME activity may be useful as an index of such changes.     

Growth hormone regulates leptin gene expression in bovine adipose tissue: correlation with adipose IGF-1 expression

Leptin, the product of the ob gene, is secreted from white adipocytes and regulates food intake and whole-body energy metabolism. In rodents and humans, leptin gene expression is under complex endocrine and metabolic control, and is strongly influenced by energy balance. Growth hormone (GH) has myriad effects on adipose tissue metabolism. The primary aim of this study was to determine the ability of GH to regulate leptin mRNA expression in bovine adipose tissue in vitro and in vivo. Incubation of subcutaneous adipose tissue explants for 24 h with GH alone had no effect on bovine leptin gene expression, whereas high concentrations of insulin or dexamethasone (DEX) potently stimulated bovine leptin mRNA abundance. GH, in combination with high concentrations of insulin, DEX, or both, attenuated the ability of insulin or DEX to stimulate leptin expression in vitro. These data indicate that GH can indirectly regulate leptin expression in vitro by altering the adipose tissue response to insulin or DEX. We extended these studies to examine the ability of GH to regulate leptin expression in vivo, using young castrate male cattle treated with no hormone (control) or GH (200 micrograms/kg body weight per day) for 3 days. GH increased plasma GH and insulin concentrations, but not those of cortisol or non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations. GH treatment increased adipose tissue leptin and IGF-1 mRNA concentrations (n=9, P>0.001). In addition, leptin abundance was highly correlated with adipose tissue IGF-1 mRNA in GH-treated animals (P>0.001). The timing of GH-induced changes in leptin gene expression preceded measurable GH effects on adiposity.