Key result
The obese phenotype of LOB male rats is associated with increased hepatic TAG production, a shift in LPL activity from skeletal muscle to WAT, and reduced lipolytic response in WAT depots.
The obese phenotype in LOB male rats is driven by increased hepatic TAG production and depot-specific changes in lipid metabolism and gene expression.
Transgenic Late-onset OBesity (LOB) rats slowly develop a male-specific, autosomal dominant, obesity phenotype with a specific increase in peri-renal white adipose tissue (WAT) depot and preserved insulin sensitivity (Bains et al. in Endocrinology 145:2666-2679, 2004). To better understand the remarkable phenotype of these rats, the lipid metabolism was investigated in male LOB and non-transgenic (NT) littermates. Total plasma cholesterol (C) levels were normal but total plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) (2.8-fold) and hepatic TAG content (25%) was elevated in LOB males. Plasma VLDL-C and VLDL-TAG levels were higher while plasma apoB levels were 60% lower in LOB males. Increased hepatic TAG secretion explained the increased VLDL levels in LOB males. The hepatic gene expression of FAS, SCD-1, mitochondrial (mt)GPAT, and DGAT2 was up-regulated in both old obese and young non-obese LOB rats. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in heart and epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT) was unchanged, while LPL activity was increased in peri-renal WAT (30%) and decreased in soleus muscle (40%). Moreover, FAS, SCD-1 and DGAT2 gene expression was increased in peri-renal, but not in epididymal WAT. Basal lipolysis was reduced or unchanged and beta-adrenergic stimulated lipolysis was reduced in WAT from both old obese and young non-obese LOB rats. To summarize, the obese phenotype of LOB male rats is associated with increased hepatic TAG production and secretion, a shift in LPL activity from skeletal muscle to WAT, reduced lipolytic response in WAT depots and a specific increase in expression of genes responsible for fatty acid and TAG synthesis in the peri-renal depot.
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Frick et al. (2008) studied Late-onset obesity. Transgenic Late-onset OBesity (LOB) phenotype vs. Non-transgenic (NT) littermates was evaluated on Lipid metabolism changes including plasma and hepatic TAG, VLDL, and LPL activity. The obese phenotype of LOB male rats is associated with increased hepatic TAG production, a shift in LPL activity from skeletal muscle to WAT, and reduced lipolytic response in WAT depots.
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