Short-Term Effects of Early Menopause on Adiposity, Fatty Acids Profile and Insulin Sensitivity of a Swine Model of Female Obesity

Abstract

Menopause strongly increases incidence and consequences of obesity and non-communicable diseases in women, with recent research suggesting a very early onset of changes in lipid accumulation, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. However, there is a lack of adequate preclinical models for its study. The present trial evaluated the usefulness of an alternative method to surgical ovariectomy, the administration of two doses of a GnRH analogue-protein conjugate (Vacsincel®), for inducing ovarian inactivity in sows used as preclinical models of obesity and menopause. All the sows treated with the compound developed ovarian stoppage after the second dose and, when exposed to obesogenic diets during the following three months, showed changes in the patterns of fat deposition, in the fatty acids profiles at the different tissues and in the plasma concentrations of fructosamine, urea, β-hydroxibutirate, and haptoglobin when compared to obese fed with the same diet but maintaining ovarian activity. Altogether, these results indicate that menopause early augments the deleterious effects induced by overfeeding and obesity on metabolic traits, paving the way for future research on physiopathology of these conditions and possible therapeutic targets using the swine model.

Prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among adults: A community based study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“…According to the World Health Organization, overweight and obesity are a major risk factor for heart disease, including high blood pressure, which is the number one cause of death [ 31 ]. In our study, the odds of hypertension were two times higher among obese participants compared to those with normal body mass index; however, the chances of hypertension were reduced by 73% among underweight participants.…”

Incidence and risk factors of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease after total pancreatectomy: A first multicenter prospective study in Japan

“…Furthermore, it is well known that female after menopause is an one of the risk factor of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and visceral fat obesity due to imbalanced sex hormone metabolism. 16,[28][29][30] Since all of these factors might be associated with the development of conventional fatty liver, 31 several reports presumed that imbalance of sex hormone metabolism might be strongly associated with the development of NAFLD after TP. 13,16 In the present study, however, we could not assess the population of menopaused women, and therefore further study is needed to prove this hypothesis.…”

“…Yang et al 27 showed that in patients aged 50 years or older, the severity of hepatic steatosis was worse among women than among men, possibly because the protective effect against fat deposition into hepatocytes in women is eliminated after menopause. Furthermore, it is well known that female after menopause is an one of the risk factor of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and visceral fat obesity due to imbalanced sex hormone metabolism 16,28‐30 . Since all of these factors might be associated with the development of conventional fatty liver, 31 several reports presumed that imbalance of sex hormone metabolism might be strongly associated with the development of NAFLD after TP 13,16 .…”