Cryo-radiofrequency Stimulates Browning of Adipocytes in Mice.

BACKGROUND: Local fat accumulation is a health risk and this has raised interest in the development of aesthetic treatments, such as cryo-radiofrequency (CRF). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the consequences of CRF in adipose tissue remodeling in a model system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lean and high-fat diet-induced obese mice were assessed 7 days after one CRF application; and lean mice were assessed 0, 3, 6 and 12 h after one application of CRF. Assessments included histology, DNA degradation, gene expression, ELISA of cytokines, serum analysis and neutrophil presence. RESULTS: Unchanged fat mass was found 7 days after CRF in obese and lean mice. However, lean mice showed smaller adipocyte size with areas resembling a browning process. TNF levels, apoptotic cells, and UCP-1 expression increased 7 days after CRF in inguinal adipose tissue of lean mice. Although no differences were found in fat mass, adipocyte size decreased just after CRF and this changed was maintained until 12 h, with cells resembling beige adipocytes. CONCLUSION: We suggest that CRF therapy is capable of inducing thermogenic adipocytes in lean mice.

Evaluation of the effects of extracts of Maytenus imbricata (Celastraceae) on the treatment of inflammatory and metabolic dysfunction induced by high-refined carbohydrate diet.

The Maytenus genus is a member of the Celastraceae family. Numerous medicinal uses were assigned to species of this genus, with the use of roots, bark, and leaves for the treatment of gastric ulcers, as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiallergic, antitumor, among others. Several studies have demonstrated that natural products derived from plants have an important role in the prevention and treatment of obesity. Accordingly, we evaluated the effect of Maytenus imbricata extracts in the treatment of obesity induced by diet rich in refined carbohydrate (HC). BALB/c mice were fed chow or HC diet for 8 weeks. At the beginning of the 9th week, the HC group was subdivided into three groups: (i) group of animals that continued to consume only HC diet; (ii) the group of animals fed HC diet supplemented with ethyl acetate extract of M. imbricata roots (HC + EAE); (iii) the group of animals fed HC diet supplemented with extract in hexane/ethyl ether (HC + HEE). The period of extracts supplementation was 4 weeks. It was observed that EAE and EHE when added to the HC diet modulated the metabolic and inflammatory changes, such as: reduced the adipocytes area, improved glucose intolerance, reduced the levels of triglycerides and resistin in serum, and the number of total leukocytes in blood. In the epididymal adipose tissue, the extracts reduced proinflammatory mediators' concentration. According to the results, it was concluded that the species Maytenus imbricata has the potential to be used for the treatment of obesity.

Low validity of predictive equations for calculating resting energy expenditure in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Predictive equations are the main clinical tools for determining resting energy expenditure (REE). However, their adequate use in overweight and obese individuals is unclear. Thus, we investigated the best predictive equations for estimating REE in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Eleven analyses were performed with prediction equations (pREE) based on anthropometric parameters in 30 overweight or obese women with PCOS without other chronic diseases. The measured REE (mREE) was calculated by indirect calorimetry. The validity of the equations was investigated by comparison, accuracy and agreement tests between pREE and mREE at both the individual and group level. RESULTS: Four analyses were similar to those of mREE, and smallest mean differences were observed for the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/United Nations University (WHO/FAO/UNU) considering weight (W) [0.07 (1.13) MJ (16 [270] kcal)]. Individual accuracy was greater than 50% for Harris and Benedict, Müller and Lazzer equations. The percentage of REE underestimation ranged between 16.7% and 73.3%, whereas higher rates of overestimation were observed in the De Luis (66.7%) and Ireton-Jones (43.3%) equations. Mean bias at the group level was lowest in the WHO/FAO/UNU W and WHO/FAO/UNU considering weight and height (WH), Müller and Lazzer equations (-2.8 to 0.5). The WHO/FAO/UNU W and WHO/FAO/UNU WH formulas were optimal in individual agreement (33.3%). CONCLUSIONS: FAO/WHO/UNU W equations may estimate the REE in overweight and obese women with PCOS. However, the low individual accuracy and agreement in relation to mREE suggest caution regarding when to use the formula to perform an individual nutritional plan.

Poor quality diet is associated with overweight status and obesity in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The high rates of overweight status observed in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may reflect dietary intake, and so it is important to investigate diet quality and its relationship with the rates of overweight status and obesity among these patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 100 women with PCOS (Rotterdam criteria) were evaluated considering anthropometric and dietary data. The anthropometric evaluation included the measurement of weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference and waist-hip ratio. Food intake data were collected from two 24-h dietary recalls to assess dietary patterns using the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index - Revised (BHEI-R). RESULTS: The anthropometric analysis indicated a high prevalence of overweight status, obesity and increased visceral fat (30.0%, 60.0% and 90.0%, respectively). The mean BHEI-R score was 56.1 ± 12.0 points (range 34.5-77.5 points). Diet quality was negatively correlated with obesity, which was evaluated by BMI (r = -0.248; P = 0.013) and WC (r = -0.278; P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary interventions focused on improvement of diet quality should be targeted to treat patients with PCOS because obesity in these women is associated with worsening endocrine, metabolic and reproductive functions.

Prolonged ingestion of ovalbumin diet by sensitized mice improves the metabolic consequences induced by experimental food allergy.

The prevalence of food allergy is rising in the western world. Allergen restriction is the chosen treatment in this condition, but continuous ingestion of the antigen has shown positive results in clinical trials. In a previous study, we have shown several allergic and metabolic alterations after 7 days of ovalbumin (OVA) ingestion by sensitized mice. The aim of this study was to investigate whether prolonged ingestion of antigen by sensitized mice would reverse the metabolic consequences caused by experimental food allergy. For this, allergic and metabolic parameters were analysed after prolonged ingestion of an OVA diet by OVA-sensitized mice. As shown previously, after 7 days of OVA consumption, sensitized mice showed increased serum levels of anti-OVA immunoglobulin (Ig)E and IgG1, aversion to the antigen ingestion, marked body and adipose tissue weight loss, followed by adipose tissue inflammation and decreased serum levels of adipokines, glucose and triglycerides. However, after 14 days of oral challenge, sensitized mice showed an anti-OVA IgE level similar to the mice that were only sensitized, but the specific IgG1 did not change. With this prolonged ingestion of OVA, sensitized mice were protected from OVA-induced anaphylaxis when the antigen was given systemically at a dose of 2 mg/animal. Moreover, various parameters analysed were significantly ameliorated, including adipose tissue inflammation, body and adipose tissue loss, as well as serum levels of adipokines and triglycerides. Therefore, our data suggest that prolonged ingestion of OVA by sensitized mice results in an improvement of the metabolic consequences caused by experimental food allergy.

High-refined carbohydrate diet promotes detrimental effects on alveolar bone and femur microarchitecture.

The impact of high-refined carbohydrate (HC) diet on fat accumulation, adipokines secretion and systemic inflammation is well described. However, it remains unclear whether these processes affect bone remodeling. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of HC diet in the alveolar bone and femur parameters. METHODS: BalbC mice were fed with conventional chow or HC diet for 12 weeks. After experimental time maxillae, femur, blood and white adipose tissue samples were collected. RESULTS: The animals feed with HC diet exhibited considerable increase of adiposity index and adipose tissue levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1ß, TGF-ß and leptin. Microtomography analysis of maxillary bone revealed horizontal alveolar bone loss and disruption of trabecular bone in mice feed with HC diet. These deleterious effects were correlated with a disturbance in bone cells and an augmented expression of Rankl/Opg ratio. Consistently, similar effects were observed in femurs, which also exhibited a reduction in bone maximum load and stiffness. CONCLUSION: Our data indicates that HC diet consumption disrupts bone remodeling process, favoring bone loss. Underlying mechanisms relies on fat tissue accumulation and also in systemic and local inflammation.

Effects of the Brazilian phytopharmaceutical product Ierobina on lipid metabolism and intestinal tonus.

Ierobina is a Brazilian phytopharmaceutical product indicated for the treatment of dyspepsia. It contains the hydroethanolic extracts of Solanum paniculatum L. (Solanaceae), Remijia ferruginea D.C. (Rubiaceae), Jacaranda caroba D.C. (Bignoniaceae) and Erythraea centaurium (L.) Borkh. (Gentianaceae), species traditionally used to treat gastrointestinal disorders. The effect of Ierobina on the digestive system was investigated in rats fed with normal or high-fat (HF) diets, at doses of 2.16, 4.32 and 8.64 mg/kg. The product did not affect the plasmatic levels of glucose, total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol in the evaluated doses, whereas the triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration showed a dose-dependent increase in HF-fed animals. TAG-rich lipoprotein uptake, estimated by measuring total lipoprotein lipase activity in epididymal adipose tissue, was accompanied by TAG increase in HF-fed rats, after Ierobina administration. The product also induced a concentration-dependent relaxant effect on spontaneous ileum contractions and on the rat ileum pre-contracted with carbachol. Together, these results support the indication of Ierobina as an anti-dyspeptic agent.