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Effects of lipoic acid on AMPK and adiponectin in adipose tissue of low- and high-fat-fed rats

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Abstract

Background

Lipoic acid (LA) is an antioxidant with antiobesity and antidiabetic properties. Adiponectin is an adipokine with potent anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing properties. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key enzyme involved in cellular energy homeostasis. Activation of AMPK has been considered as a target to reverse the metabolic abnormalities associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Aim of the study

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of LA on AMPK phosphorylation and adiponectin production in adipose tissue of low-fat (control diet) and high-fat diet-fed rats.

Results

Dietary supplementation with LA reduced body weight and adiposity in control and high-fat-fed rats. LA also reduced basal hyperinsulinemia as well as the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) levels, an index of insulin resistance, in high-fat-fed rats, which was in part independent of their food intake lowering actions. Furthermore, AMPK phosphorylation was increased in white adipose tissue (WAT) from LA-treated rats as compared with pair-fed animals. Dietary supplementation with LA also upregulated adiponectin gene expression in WAT, while a negative correlation between adiposity-corrected adiponectin levels and HOMA index was found. Our present data suggest that the ability of LA supplementation to prevent insulin resistance in high-fat diet-fed rats might be related in part to the stimulation of AMPK and adiponectin in WAT.

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Abbreviations

AMPK:

AMP-activated protein kinase

HOMA:

Homeostasis model assessment

LA:

Lipoic acid

LASY:

Lipoic acid synthase

TZDs:

Thiazolidinediones

WAT:

White adipose tissue

BAT:

Brown adipose tissue

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Acknowledgments

This work has been supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Government of Spain (AGL 2009-10873/ALI and AGL 2006-04716/ALI) and by Línea Especial: “Nutrición, Obesidad y Salud” (University of Navarra). PL Prieto-Hontoria was supported by a research grant by Danone Institute, Spain.

Conflict of interest

The authors state no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Food Science, Physiology and Toxicology, University of Navarra, C/Irunlarrea, 1, 31008, Pamplona, Spain

    Pedro L. Prieto-Hontoria, Patricia Pérez-Matute, Marta Fernández-Galilea, J. Alfredo Martínez & María J. Moreno-Aliaga

  2. HIV and Associated Metabolic Alterations Unit, Infectious Diseases Area, Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain

    Patricia Pérez-Matute

Authors
  1. Pedro L. Prieto-Hontoria
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  2. Patricia Pérez-Matute
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  3. Marta Fernández-Galilea
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  4. J. Alfredo Martínez
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  5. María J. Moreno-Aliaga
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Correspondence to María J. Moreno-Aliaga.

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Prieto-Hontoria, P.L., Pérez-Matute, P., Fernández-Galilea, M. et al. Effects of lipoic acid on AMPK and adiponectin in adipose tissue of low- and high-fat-fed rats. Eur J Nutr 52, 779–787 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0384-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0384-7

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