title: L-Carnitine intake prevents irregular feeding-induced obesity and lipid metabolism disorder.
abstract: L-Carnitine supplementation has been used to reduce obesity caused by high-fat diet, which is beneficial for lowering blood and hepatic lipid levels, and for ameliorating fatty liver. However, whether l-carnitine may affect irregular feeding-induced obesity and lipid metabolism disorder is still largely unknown. In the present study, we developed a time-delayed pattern of eating, and investigated the effects of l-carnitine on the irregular eating induced adiposity in mice. After an experimental period of 8 weeks with l-carnitine supplementation, l-carnitine significantly inhibited body weight increase and epididymal fat weight gain induced by the time-delayed feeding. In addition, l-carnitine administration decreased levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (GPT), glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) and triglyceride (TG), which were significantly elevated by the irregular feeding. Moreover, mice supplemented with l-carnitine did not display glucose intolerance-associated hallmarks, which were found in the irregular feeding-induced obesity. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis indicated that l-carnitine counteracted the negative alterations of lipid metabolic gene expression (fatty acid synthase, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase, cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase, carnitine/acylcarnitine translocase) in the liver and fat of mice caused by the irregular feeding. Therefore, our results suggest that the time-delayed pattern of eating can induce adiposity and lipid metabolic disorders, while l-carnitine supplementation might prevent these negative symptoms.
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, China.
authors.forename: Anqi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, China.
authors.forename: Qingyu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, China.
authors.forename: Yangjian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, China.
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, China.
authors.forename: Shumin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, China. Electronic address: azwfu@zjut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhengwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D052439:Lipid Metabolism Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005947:Glucose; D002331:Carnitine
keywords: Glucose tolerance test; Irregular eating pattern; Lipid metabolism; Obesity; l-Carnitine