Bromocriptine reduces steatosis in obese rodent models.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is a risk factor for glucose intolerance, steatosis, and oxidative stress, characteristics of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Bromocriptine may have anti-obesity, insulin-sensitizing, lipolytic, and antioxidant properties. We, therefore, hypothesized that bromocriptine would improve markers of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in obese rodent models.


METHODS
We performed a randomized, controlled experiment in genetically obese fatty Zucker rats and diet-induced obese rats to assess for behavioral and peripheral anti-obesity actions of bromocriptine (10mg/kg) that would improve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.


RESULTS
Behaviorally, food intake decreased and locomotor activity increased in bromocriptine-treated fatty Zucker and dietary-induced obese rats. Peripherally, liver triglycerides were significantly reduced and hepatic manganese superoxide dismutase significantly increased in bromocriptine-treated fatty Zucker and diet-induced obese rats compared to controls. Blood glucose was significantly lower in bromocriptine-treated Zucker rats compared to fatty controls and was no different than that of lean controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Improvements in obesigenic behaviors, glucose tolerance, hepatic lipid accumulation, and mitochondrial oxidative stress observed in genetically obese and diet-induced obese rodents indicate that bromocriptine may be promising as a broad-based therapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Davis
Lisa M
LM
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of International Health, Center for Human Nutrition, Baltimore, MD 21205-2179, USA. ldavismc@jhsph.edu
Pei
Zhengtong
Z
Trush
Michael A
MA
Cheskin
Lawrence J
LJ
Contoreggi
Carlo
C
McCullough
Karen
K
Watkins
Paul A
PA
Moran
Timothy H
TH
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001823:Body Composition / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004435:Eating / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
D001786:Blood Glucose; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D014280:Triglycerides; D001971:Bromocriptine; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase