title: Glucocerebroside ameliorates the metabolic syndrome in OB/OB mice.
abstract: Glucocerebroside (GC) is a naturally occurring glycolipid that may alter natural killer T (NKT) cell function. To determine the effect of GC on the metabolic derangements and immune profile in leptin-deficient mice, Ob/Ob mice were treated by daily injections of GC for 8 weeks and followed for various metabolic and immunological parameters. Marked amelioration of the metabolic alterations characteristic of leptin-deficient mice was observed in GC-treated animals compared with controls. A significant decrease in liver size and hepatic fat content were observed in GC-treated mice. Near-normalization of glucose tolerance and decreased serum triglyceride levels were observed. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis of peripheral and intrahepatic lymphocytes revealed a 1.6-fold increase of the peripheral/intrahepatic NKT lymphocyte ratio. A 33% decrease of serum interferon-gamma level and a 2.6-fold increase of serum interleukin 10 level were noted in GC-treated mice. Immune modulation by GC may have a role in the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and other immune-mediated disorders.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Department of Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel IL-91120.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Margalit
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shalev
authors.forename: Orit
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pappo
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sklair-Levy
authors.forename: Ruslana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alper
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gomori
authors.forename: Dean
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
authors.forename: Elazar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rabbani
authors.forename: Yaron
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ilan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000188:drug therapy; D005963:Glucosylceramides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D005963:Glucosylceramides; D014280:Triglycerides