Amaranth Protein Improves Lipid Profile and Insulin Resistance in a Diet-induced Obese Mice Model

Abstract

Amaranth has been claimed as functional food, but its function on obesity-related disorder is not fully known. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of amaranth protein intake on blood lipids profile and insulin resistance in diet-induced obese mice. The effect of soybean protein was also analysed for comparative purposes. C57BL-6 mice were fed for eight weeks with regular or high fat diet. Amaranth or soybean protein isolates (10 mg/kg) were supplied via oral administration. Changes in body weight, adipose tissue, total cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, a glucose tolerance test, as well as the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes were measured. Our results have shown that amaranth protein induces a decrease in plasma insulin in mice fed with a regular diet, whereas a decrease in triglycerides was observed in mice fed with high fat diet. Furthermore, down-regulation of Tnf-α and Res, suggested the inhibition of inflammation state. The present study demonstrates that amaranth protein, but not soybean protein, improves the obese mice health, and the hormonal modulation (Lep, Fasn, Lpl) could lead to new mechanism of action by which amaranth consumption exerts its beneficial health effect.

Modulation of Caecal Microbiome in Obese Mice Associated with Administration of Amaranth or Soybean Protein Isolates

“…It has stated that Ruminoccocaceae induced expression of genes involved in infl ammation process, such as Angpl4, in diet-induced obese mice [Ravussin et al, 2012]. These bacteria have been also observed in leptin--resistant obese and diabetic mice; this correlates with a previous work, which showed that mice fed with SOY protein tended to have insulin resistance [Escobedo-Moratilla et al, 2017]. The Lachnospiraceae family showed the same abundance levels in mice fed with Ctrl-and AMA diets but in caecal digesta of mice fed with SOY-diets an increase in abundance was observed ( Figure 4B).…”

“…The food consumption and mice weight were recorded every week. Protein isolates from amaranth and soybean, with a purity of 76.5% and 85.5%, respectively, were obtained as described elsewhere [Escobedo-Moratilla et al, 2017]. Amaranth or soybean protein was administered once daily using a stainless steel oral gavage at a dose of 10 mg protein/kg BW (body weight).…”

Nutritional Composition, Functionality, and Processing Technologies for Amaranth

“…Major antioxidants in amaranth are not in the lipid part because, after fat extraction, the antioxidant value remained the same [66]. Some other researchers also reported that amaranth may act as a nutraceutical therapy in type 2 diabetes as it stimulates insulin secretion, as well as in obesity health improvements [67][68][69][70]. Unprocessed and extruded amaranth flours were found to be good sources of peptides with potential biological activity, such as ACEinhibitor and dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor, thereby preventing chronic diseases [71,72].…”