Influence of dietary fats on Ecstasy-induced hyperthermia.
OBJECTIVE
Studies were designed to examine the effects of dietary fats on metabolic effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy). These effects included hyperthermia, expression of uncoupling protein (UCP1 and 3) in brown adipose tissue or skeletal muscle and plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels.


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a high-fat diet (HFD, 60% kcal) or a lower fat isocaloric controlled diet (LFD, 10% kcal) for 28 days before MDMA challenge.


RESULTS
No significant differences were observed between LFD and HFD groups in terms of body weight, plasma thyroxine (T4) levels and expression of brown fat UCP1 or skeletal muscle UCP3 protein. HFD significantly raised levels of circulating FFA and potentiated the thermogenesis induced by MDMA (10 mg kg(-1), s.c.), compared to the effects of the LFD. Moreover, 30 and 60 min after MDMA administration, plasma FFA levels decreased in HFD animals, but were markedly elevated in the LFD group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that high-fat feeding regulates MDMA-induced thermogenesis by augmenting the activation of UCP rather than its expression.
Mills
E M
EM
Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Weaver
K L
KL
Abramson
E
E
Pfeiffer
M
M
Sprague
J E
JE
D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D022722:Thermogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D014475:Uncoupling Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1; D000071247:Uncoupling Protein 3
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007473:Ion Channels; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; C000604373:Ucp1 protein, rat; C000604394:Ucp3 protein, rat; D014475:Uncoupling Agents; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1; D000071247:Uncoupling Protein 3; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D013974:Thyroxine