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The effect of tomato juice supplementation on biomarkers and gene expression related to lipid metabolism in rats with induced hepatic steatosis

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Abstract

Purpose

Tomato products are a dietary source of natural antioxidants, especially lycopene, which accumulates in the liver, where it exerts biological effects. Taking into consideration this fact, the aim of the present study was to ascertain the effect of tomato consumption on biomarkers and gene expression related to lipid metabolism in rats with induced steatosis.

Methods

Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats (8 weeks old) were randomly grouped (n = 6 rats/group) in four experimental groups: NA (normal diet and water), NL (normal diet and tomato juice), HA (high fat diet and water) and HL (high fat diet and tomato juice). After 7 weeks, rats were euthanized, and plasma, urine, feces and liver were sampled to analyze the biomarkers related to lipid metabolism, inflammation and oxidative stress.

Results

The H diet induced steatosis (grade II) in the HA and HL groups, which was confirmed by the levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, histological examination and the presence of dyslipidemia. The intake of tomato juice led to an accumulation of all-E and Z-lycopene and its metabolites in the livers of these animals; levels were higher in HL than in NL, apparently due to higher absorption (63.07 vs. 44.45 %). A significant improvement in the plasma level of high-density lipoprotein was observed in the HL group compared with HA animals, as was an alleviation of oxidative stress through reduction of isoprostanes in the urine. In relation to fatty acid gene expression, an overexpression of several genes related to fatty acid transport, lipid hydrolysis and mitochondrial and peroxisomal β-fatty acid oxidation was observed in the HL group.

Conclusions

The consumption of tomato juice and tomato products reduced hallmarks of steatosis, plasmatic triglycerides and very low-density lipoproteins, and increased lipid metabolism by inducing an overexpression of genes involved in more efficient fatty acid oxidation.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the projects MINECO (Spanish)/FEDER-EU BIO2012-38103 and CONSOLIDER Fun-C-Food CSD2007, as well as by the Research Regional Agency “Fundación Séneca” (Murcia, Spain) Project 12031/PI/09. We would also like to thank Zumos Hesperia Filab and Juver Alimentación (Cabezo de Torres, Murcia, Spain) for providing the tomato juice samples. R G-B thanks Spanish MICINN for the post-doctoral contract (Juan de la Cierva Program).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Technology, Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, Espinardo, 30071, Murcia, Spain

    Gala Martín-Pozuelo, Inmaculada Navarro-González, Rocío González-Barrio, Marina Santaella, Javier García-Alonso, Nieves Hidalgo, Carlos Gómez-Gallego, Gaspar Ros & María Jesús Periago

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  1. Gala Martín-Pozuelo
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  2. Inmaculada Navarro-González
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  3. Rocío González-Barrio
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  4. Marina Santaella
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  8. Gaspar Ros
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  9. María Jesús Periago
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Correspondence to Gala Martín-Pozuelo.

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Martín-Pozuelo, G., Navarro-González, I., González-Barrio, R. et al. The effect of tomato juice supplementation on biomarkers and gene expression related to lipid metabolism in rats with induced hepatic steatosis. Eur J Nutr 54, 933–944 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-014-0770-4

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