title: Dietary oligofructose lessens hepatic steatosis, but does not prevent hypertriglyceridemia in obese zucker rats.
abstract: We studied the influence of oligofructose (OFS), a nondigestible fructan, on lipid metabolism in obese fa/fa Zucker rats. The addition of 10 g/100 g OFS to the diet slowed the increase in body weight without modifying serum triglycerides or glucose concentrations after 7 wk of treatment. However, an oral load of 2 g glucose and 5 g corn oil/kg body weight increased triglyceridemia more in OFS-fed rats than in control rats. After 10 wk, OFS decreased the hepatic concentration of triglycerides 57% relative to controls. The less severe steatosis was confirmed by histologic analysis. Among the key enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis and esterification, only malic enzyme activity was significantly lower in OFS-fed rats than in controls. The epididymal fat mass was significantly lower in OFS-fed rats. In conclusion, dietary enrichment with OFS can counteract both the fat mass development and the hepatic steatosis that occur in obese Zucker rats. Future studies will be designed to clarify in obese animals the influence of dietary OFS on postprandial triglyceridemia, which is an important variable associated with the development of atherosclerosis in humans, and to analyze the biochemical mechanism underlying the "hepatoprotective" effect of OFS.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Pharmacokinetics, Metabolism, Nutrition and Toxicology, 7369 School of Pharmacy, Université Catholique de Louvain, 73 B-1200 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Daubioul
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Taper
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: De Wispelaere
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Delzenne
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004951:Esterification; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D008055:Lipids; D009844:Oligosaccharides; C120489:oligofructose; D005947:Glucose