title: Iron overload potentiates diet-induced hypercholesterolemia and reduces liver PPAR-α expression in hamsters.
abstract: Iron stores and lipids are related to the development of cardiovascular disease. Given that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α) regulates important physiological processes that impact lipid and glucose homeostasis, we decided to investigate the effects of iron overload on serum lipids and the liver expression of PPAR-α, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase. Hamsters were divided into four groups. The standard group (S) was fed the AIN-93M diet, the SI group was fed the diet and iron injections, the hypercholesterolemic group (H) was fed a standard diet containing cholesterol, and the HI group was fed a high-cholesterol diet and iron injections. Serum cholesterol in the HI group was higher than in the H group. Gene expression analysis of PPAR-α showed that the HI group had a lower PPAR-α expression than H. These data show that iron, when associated with a high-fat diet, can cause increased serum cholesterol levels, possibly due to a reduction in PPAR-α expression.
authors.affiliation: Research Center in Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa de Freitas
authors.initials: Lde F
authors.lastname: Bonomo
authors.forename: Maísa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Riva de Paula
authors.initials: Rde P
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Marcelo Eustáquio
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Maria Lucia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pedrosa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D004032:Diet; D015870:Gene Expression; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications*; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000150:complications*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D047493:PPAR alpha