Life-long Maternal Cafeteria Diet Promotes Tissue-Specific Morphological Changes in Male Offspring Adult Rats

ABSTRACT Here, we evaluated whether the exposure of rats to a cafeteria diet pre- and/or post-weaning, alters histological characteristics in the White Adipose Tissue (WAT), Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT), and liver of adult male offspring. Female Wistar rats were divided into Control (CTL; fed on standard rodent chow) and Cafeteria (CAF; fed with the cafeteria diet throughout life, including pregnancy and lactation). After birth, only male offspring (F1) were maintained and received the CTL or CAF diets; originating four experimental groups: CTL-CTLF1; CTL-CAFF1; CAF-CTLF1; CAF-CAFF1. Data of biometrics, metabolic parameters, liver, BAT and WAT histology were assessed and integrated using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). According to PCA analysis worse metabolic and biometric characteristics in adulthood are associated with the post-weaning CAF diet compared to pre and post weaning CAF diet. Thus, the CTL-CAFF1 group showed obesity, higher deposition of fat in the liver and BAT and high fasting plasma levels of glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol. Interestingly, the association between pre and post-weaning CAF diet attenuated the obesity and improved the plasma levels of glucose and triglycerides compared to CTL-CAFF1 without avoiding the higher lipid accumulation in BAT and in liver, suggesting that the impact of maternal CAF diet is tissue-specific.

O tecido adiposo como órgão endócrino: da teoria à prática: [revisão] / Adipose tissue as an endocrine organ: from theory to practice: [review]

OBJETIVOS Mostrar os avanços na pesquisa sobre o papel fisiológico do tecido adiposo branco, ressaltando o seu papel endócrino em processos inflamatórios, no comportamento alimentar, na sensibilização à insulina e na modulação do processo de aterogênese. Abordar o potencial papel do tecido adiposo como fonte de células-tronco para regeneração de tecidos, com especial ênfase para a adipogênese e suas conseqüências para a geração de obesidade. FONTES DE DADOS: Informações importantes constantes da literatura científica foram compiladas de modo a que esta leitura contenha uma síntese esclarecedora dos aspectos mencionados acima. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS:O tecido adiposo possui, além das suas funções clássicas como principal estoque de energia metabólica, suprindo as necessidades energéticas em períodos de carência mediante a lipólise, a capacidade de sintetizar e secretar vários hormônios, as adipocinas. Estas agem em diversos processos, como o controle da ingestão alimentar (leptina) e o controle da sensibilidade à insulina e de processos inflamatórios (TNF-alfa, IL-6, resistina, visfatina, adiponectina). Além disso, como o tecido adiposo contém também células indiferenciadas, tem a habilidade de gerar novos adipócitos, regenerando o próprio tecido (adipogênese), bem como originar outras células (mioblastos, condroblastos, osteoblastos), fato este que tem grande potencial terapêutico em futuro não muito distante. CONCLUSÃO: Amplia-se o leque de possibilidades funcionais do tecido adiposo. A compreensão dessas potencialidades pode fazer deste tecido o grande aliado no combate de moléstias que atualmente vêm assumindo proporções epidêmicas (obesidade, diabetes melito, hipertensão arterial e arteriosclerose), nas quais o tecido adiposo ainda é tido como um grande vilão.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the advances in research into the physiological role of white adipose tissue, with emphasis on its endocrinal role in inflammatory processes, feeding behavior, insulin sensitization and modulation of the atherogenetic process. To deal with the potential role of adipose tissue as a source of stem cells for regeneration of tissues, with special emphasis on adipogenesis and its consequences for development of obesity. SOURCES: Important information was compiled from the scientific literature in order that this analysis contains an explanatory synthesis of the aspects mentioned above. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS In addition to its classical functions as primary metabolic energy store, meeting energy requirements during periods of deprivation by means of lypolisis, adipose tissue also has the capacity to synthesize and secrete a variety of hormones - the adipokines. These are active in a range of processes, such as control of nutritional intake (leptin) and control of sensitivity to insulin and inflammatory processes (TNF-alpha, IL-6, resistin, visfatin, adiponectin). Furthermore, since adipose tissue also contains undifferentiated cells, it has the ability to generate new adipocytes, regenerating its own tissue (adipogenesis), and also the ability to give rise to other cells (myoblasts, chondroblasts, osteoblasts), which has great therapeutic potential in the not-too-distant future. CONCLUSIONS: The range of functional possibilities of adipose tissue has widened. An understanding of these potentials could make this tissue a great ally in the fight against conditions that are currently assuming epidemic proportions (obesity, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and arteriosclerosis) and in which adipose tissue is still seen as the enemy.