Rapamycin protects against high fat diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6J mice.
Rapamycin (RAPA), an immunosuprpressive drug used extensively to prevent graft rejection in transplant patients, has been reported to inhibit adipogenesis in vitro. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effects of RAPA in C57BL/6J mice on a high-fat diet (HFD). Mice treated with RAPA (2 mg/kg per week for 16 weeks) had reduced body weight and epididymal fat pads/body weight, reduced daily food efficiency, and lower serum leptin and insulin levels compared with the HFD control mice. However, RAPA-treated mice were hyperphagic, demonstrating an increase in food intake. Dissection of RAPA-treated mice revealed a marked reduction in fatty liver scores, average fat cell size, and percentage of large adipocytes of retroperitoneal and epididymal white adipose tissue (RWAT and EWAT), compared to the HFD control mice. These results suggest that RAPA prevented the effect of the high-fat diet on the rate of accretion in body weight via reducing lipid accumulation, despite greater food intake. It is likely that RAPA may serve as a potential strategy for body weight control and/or anti-obesity therapy.
Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Geng-Ruei
GR
Chang
Yi-Shin
YS
Chiu
Ying-Ying
YY
Wu
Wen-Ying
WY
Chen
Jiunn-Wang
JW
Liao
Te-Hsin
TH
Chao
Frank Chiahung
FC
Mao
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009765:Obesity / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004041:Dietary Fats; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D020123:Sirolimus