A krill oil supplemented diet suppresses hepatic steatosis in high-fat fed rats.
Krill oil (KO) is a dietary source of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly represented by eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid bound to phospholipids. The supplementation of a high-fat diet with 2.5% KO efficiently prevented triglyceride and cholesterol accumulation in liver of treated rats. This effect was accompanied by a parallel reduction of the plasma levels of triglycerides and glucose and by the prevention of a plasma insulin increase. The investigation of the molecular mechanisms of KO action in high-fat fed animals revealed a strong decrease in the activities of the mitochondrial citrate carrier and of the cytosolic acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase, which are both involved in hepatic de novo lipogenesis. In these animals a significant increase in the activity of carnitine palmitoyl-transferase I and in the levels of carnitine was also observed, suggesting a concomitant stimulation of hepatic fatty acid oxidation. The KO supplemented animals also retained an efficient mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, most probably as a consequence of a KO-induced arrest of the uncoupling effects of a high-fat diet. Lastly, the KO supplementation prevented an increase in body weight, as well as oxidative damage of lipids and proteins, which is often found in high-fat fed animals.
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
Alessandra
A
Ferramosca
Annalea
A
Conte
Lena
L
Burri
Kjetil
K
Berge
Francesco
F
De Nuccio
Anna Maria
AM
Giudetti
Vincenzo
V
Zara
D000103:Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D033201:Euphausiacea / Q000737:chemistry*; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008055:Lipids; D009821:Oils; C020723:citrate-binding transport protein; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases; D000103:Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase