title: Oral ingestion of aloe vera phytosterols alters hepatic gene expression profiles and ameliorates obesity-associated metabolic disorders in zucker diabetic fatty rats.
abstract: We investigated the effects of the oral administration of lophenol (Lo) and cycloartanol (Cy), two kinds of antidiabetic phytosterol isolated from  Aloe vera , on glucose and lipid metabolism in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. We demonstrated that the administrations of Lo and Cy suppressed random and fasting glucose levels and reduced visceral fat weights significantly. It was also observed that treatments with Lo and Cy decreased serum and hepatic lipid concentrations (triglyceride, nonesterified fatty acid, and total cholesterol). Additionally, Lo and Cy treatments resulted in a tendency for reduction in serum monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) level and an elevation in serum adiponectin level. Furthermore, the expression levels of hepatic genes encoding gluconeogenic enzymes (G6 Pase, PEPCK), lipogenic enzymes (ACC, FAS), and SREBP-1 were decreased significantly by the administrations of aloe sterols. In contrast, Lo and Cy administration increased mRNA levels of glycolysis enzyme (GK) in the liver. It was also observed that the hepatic β-oxidation enzymes (ACO, CPT1) and PPARα expressions tended to increase in the livers of the Lo- and Cy-treated rats compared with those in ZDF-control rats. We therefore conclude that orally ingested aloe sterols altered the expressions of genes related to glucose and lipid metabolism, and ameliorated obesity-associated metabolic disorders in ZDF rats. These findings suggest that aloe sterols could be beneficial in preventing and improving metabolic disorders with obesity and diabetes in rats.
authors.affiliation: Functional Food Research Department, Food Science & Technology Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co. Ltd., Higashihara 5-1-83, Zama, Kanagawa 228-8583, Japan. e_misawa@morinagamilk.co.jp
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Misawa
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nomaguchi
authors.forename: Kazumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nabeshima
authors.forename: Muneo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toida
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwatsuki
mesh_terms: D000103:Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D042962:Acyl-CoA Oxidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000504:Aloe / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D010729:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker
chemical_list: D010840:Phytosterols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D042962:Acyl-CoA Oxidase; D010729:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP); D000103:Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase