Higher body fat aggravates toxin-induced infectious episodes.
Animal models using rabbits were developed to accumulate a variable body fat mass (FM) in two groups of animals while the fat-free mass (FFM), eg, total body protein, was maintained essentially similar between the groups. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were measured as an index of lipid peroxidation and were found to be higher in the whole-body tissues of animals with a higher FM. Bacterial toxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) also induced higher lipid peroxidation in animals with a higher FM, with a concomitant incidence of bloody mucous diarrhea. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence to show the effect of body FM to aggravate toxin-induced infections leading to diarrhea. The overall results suggest further investigations to explore the possible role of body fat in infectious diseases in humans.
Bhattacharya
M K
MK
National Institute for Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Calcutta, India.
Khaled
M A
MA
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity*; D011817:Rabbits; D012307:Risk Factors
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides