Diverse impact of N-acetylcysteine or alpha-lipoic acid supplementation during high-fat diet regime on fatty acid transporters in visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue.

PURPOSE: Adipose tissue's (AT) structural changes accompanying obesity may alter lipid transport protein expression and, thus, the fatty acids (FAs) transport and lipid balance of the body. Metabolic abnormalities within AT contribute to the elevated production of reactive oxygen species and increased oxidative/nitrosative stress. Although compounds such as N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and α-lipoic acid (ALA), which restore redox homeostasis, may improve lipid metabolism in AT, the mechanism of action of these antioxidants on lipid metabolism in AT is still unknown. This study aimed to examine the impact of NAC and ALA on the level and FA composition of the lipid fractions, and the expression of FA transporters in the visceral and subcutaneous AT of high-fat diet-fed rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. The mRNA levels and protein expression of FA transporters were assessed using real-time PCR and Western Blot analyses. The collected samples were subjected to histological evaluation. The level of lipids (FFA, DAG, and TAG) was measured using gas-liquid chromatography. RESULTS: We found that antioxidants affect FA transporter expressions at both the transcript and protein levels, and, therefore, they promote changes in AT's lipid pools. One of the most remarkable findings of our research is that different antioxidant molecules may have a varying impact on AT phenotype. CONCLUSION: NAC and ALA exert different influences on AT, which is reflected in histopathological images, FA transport proteins expression patterns, or even the lipid storage capacity of adipocytes.

Diverse Impact of N-Acetylcysteine or Alpha-Lipoic Acid Supplementation during High-Fat Diet Regime on Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in Visceral and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The high-fat diet (HFD) regime causes obesity and contributes to the development of oxidative stress in the cells by the production of reactive oxygen species and the occurrence and progress of inflammation. Despite years of studies, there is no data explaining the mechanism of action of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) in visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue of HFD-fed rats. Our experiment aimed to evaluate for the first time the influence of chronic antioxidants administration on MMPs biology after an HFD regime as a potential therapeutic strategy for obesity-related complications prevention. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were fed a standard rodent chow or an HFD with intragastric administration of NAC or ALA for ten weeks. The collected samples were subjected to pathohistological evaluation. Real-time PCR and western blot approaches were used to check whether NAC or ALA impacts MMP2/9 expression. RESULTS: Antioxidant supplementation markedly reduced the number of circulating inflammatory cytokines, and tissue macrophage infiltration. Moreover, NAC and ALA have a divergent impact on MMP2 and MMP9 expression in different adipose tissue localization. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, we speculate that NAC and ALA have a prominent effect on the MMP2/9 functions under obesity conditions.