Betaine Alleviates Hypertriglycemia and Tau Hyperphosphorylation in db/db Mice
Toxicological Research
; : 7-14, 2013.
Article
in En
| WPRIM
| ID: wpr-118070
Responsible library:
WPRO
ABSTRACT
Betaine supplementation has been shown to alleviate altered glucose and lipid metabolism in mice fed a high-fat diet or a high-sucrose diet. We investigated the beneficial effects of betaine in diabetic db/db mice. Alleviation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and oxidative stress was also examined in the livers and brains of db/db mice fed a betaine-supplemented diet. Male C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice were fed with or without 1% betaine for 5 wk (referred to as the db/db-betaine group and the db/db group, respectively). Lean non-diabetic db/+ mice were used as the control group. Betaine supplementation significantly alleviated hyperinsulinemia in db/db mice. Betaine reduced hepatic expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha, a major transcription factor involved in gluconeogenesis. Lower serum triglyceride concentrations were also observed in the db/db-betaine group compared to the db/db group. Betaine supplementation induced hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a mRNA levels, and reduced acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity. Mice fed a betaine-supplemented diet had increased total glutathione concentrations and catalase activity, and reduced lipid peroxidation levels in the liver. Furthermore, betaine also reduced ER stress in liver and brain. c-Jun N-terminal kinase activity and tau hyperphosphorylation levels were lower in db/db mice fed a betaine-supplemented diet, compared to db/db mice. Our findings suggest that betaine improves hyperlipidemia and tau hyperphosphorylation in db/db mice with insulin resistance by alleviating ER and oxidative stress.
Key words
Full text:
1
Index:
WPRIM
Main subject:
Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase
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Transcription Factors
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Betaine
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Brain
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Insulin Resistance
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RNA, Messenger
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Lipid Peroxidation
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Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase
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Catalase
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Oxidative Stress
Limits:
Animals
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Humans
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Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Toxicological Research
Year:
2013
Type:
Article