Abstract
Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the antiobesity effect of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in diet-induced obese mice. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were fed on a high-fat diet for 8 weeks to induce obesity. Subsequently they were divided into 3 groups and were maintained on a high-fat control diet or high-fat diets supplemented with 0.2 or 0.5% EGCG (w/w) for a further 8 weeks. Changes in the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism and fatty acid oxidation were analyzed in white adipose tissue, together with biometric and blood parameters. Results: Experimental diets supplemented with EGCG resulted in reduction of body weight and mass of various adipose tissues in a dose-dependent manner. EGCG diet also considerably lowered the levels of plasma triglyceride and liver lipid. In the epididymal white adipose tissue of EGCG diet-fed mice, the mRNA levels of adipogenic genes such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), CCAAT enhancer-binding protein-α (C/EBP-α), regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) were significantly decreased. However, the mRNA levels of carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 (CPT-1) and uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), as well as lipolytic genes such as hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), were significantly increased. Conclusion: These results suggest that green tea EGCG effectively reduces adipose tissue mass and ameliorates plasma lipid profiles in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. These effects might be at least partially mediated via regulation of the expression of multiple genes involved in adipogenesis, lipolysis, β-oxidation and thermogenesis in white adipose tissue.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 151-157 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism |
Volume | 54 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2009 |
Keywords
- Body weight
- Gene expression
- Green tea (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate
- Mice
- Obesity
- White adipose tissue