Undaria pinnatifida and Fucoxanthin Ameliorate Lipogenesis and Markers of Both Inflammation and Cardiovascular Dysfunction in an Animal Model of Diet-Induced Obesity

Abstract

Brown algae and its carotenoids have been shown to have a positive influence on obesity and its comorbidities. This study evaluated the effect of Undaria pinnatifida and fucoxanthin on biochemical, physiological and inflammation markers related to obesity and on the expression of genes engaged on white adipose tissue lipid metabolism in a murine model of diet-induced obesity. The treatments improved energy expenditure, β-oxidation and adipogenesis by upregulating PPARα, PGC1α, PPARγ and UCP-1. Adipogenesis was also confirmed by image analysis of the retroperitoneal adipose tissue, by measuring cell area, perimeter and cellular density. Additionally, the treatments, ameliorated adipose tissue accumulation, insulin resistance, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides concentration in serum, and reduced lipogenesis and inflammation by downregulating acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) gene expression, increasing serum concentration and expression of adiponectin as well as downregulating IL-6 expression. Both fucoxanthin and Undaria pinnatifida may be considered for treating obesity and other diseases related.

Characterization and in vitro evaluation of seaweed species as potential functional ingredients to ameliorate metabolic syndrome

“…In addition, several in vivo studies support the positive effect of seaweed products when consumed directly or as dietary supplements on health by reducing body weight (Okada et al, 2011), lipid oxidation (Grasa-López et al, 2016), oxidative stress and insulin resistance (Tong et al, 2015). Seaweed extracts have also shown antimicrobial (Cox, Abu-Ghannam, & Gupta, 2010), anti-inflammatory (Han et al, 2015), anti-diabetic (Kang et al, 2013) and prebiotic effects (Charoensiddhi et al, 2017).…”

Modelos experimentais de obesidade: análise crítica do perfil metabólico e da aplicabilidade

“…Por se tratar de um modelo simples e que mais se assemelha à realidade da obesidade em humanos, os modelos animais de obesidade obtidos através de dietas hipercalóricas tem sido amplamente utilizados no estudo das alterações metabólicas ligadas à obesidade (Lai, Chen et al, 2015;Sladek, Stevens et al, 2015; Grasa-Lopez, Miliar-Garcia et al, 2016). Nestes modelos, os animais reproduzem melhor o estado de obesidade comum em humanos do que a maioria dos modelos geneticamente modificados e podem ser a melhor escolha para testar estratégias terapêuticas (Lutz e Woods, 2012;Barrett, Mercer et al, 2016).…”

“…Em nossa pesquisa, encontramos uma série de estudos (24) que utilizaram desta metodologia para indução da obesidade (Hvid, Blouin et al, 2013;Sanghez, Razzoli et al, 2013;Oliveira, Santos et al, 2014;Saleh, El-Maraghy et al, 2014;Donner, Elliott et al, 2015;Kulkarni, Jaji et al, 2015;Lai, Chen et al, 2015;Sladek, Stevens et al, 2015;Baldassano, Amato et al, 2016;Ferramosca, Conte et al, 2016;Grasa-Lopez, Miliar-Garcia et al, 2016;Marin, Rosso et al, 2016;Tung, Lin et al, 2016;Ezquer, Bahamonde et al, 2017;Nascimento-Sales, Fredo-Da-Costa et al, 2017;Ojo, Simenson et al, 2017;Oliveira, Chaves et al, 2017;Porras, Nistal et al, 2017;Sadowska, Gebczynski et al, 2017;Sharma, Kim et al, 2017;Xu, Ye et al, 2017;Li, Feng et al, 2018;Tasyurek, Eksi et al, 2018;Watanabe, Kumazaki et al, 2018) (Tabela 1).…”

Marine Algae as a Potential Source for Anti-Obesity Agents

“…For example, feeding of seaweed powder of Sargassum polycystum suppressed weight gain in rats fed with high fat diet and reduced the plasma levels of cholesterol and triacylglycerols [20]. In another study, feeding of the brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida showed positive effects on body weight gain, energy consumption, and serum levels of glucose and insulin in diet-induced obese mice [21]. In addition, there was decreased expression of the inflammatory marker interleukin-6 (IL-6), increased energy expenditure, and decreased lipogenesis that resulted in more and smaller adipocytes in retriponeal tissue.…”

“…Fucoxanthinol, a metabolite of fucoxanthin, was also reported to suppress low-grade inflammation in adipocytes, as indicated by its effect in reducing TNF-α and MCP-1 mRNA suppression in a co-culture of adipocytes and macrophage cells [48]. A more recent study by Grasa-Lopez et al (2016) using a mouse model further proved that fucoxanthin decreased WAT mass, and decreased serum triacylglycerols but increased serum HDL cholesterol [21]. Other beneficial effects observed were improved insulin resistance, reduced blood pressure, increased expression and decreased serum levels of adiponectin, and decreased expression of leptin.…”