title: Taurine supplementation regulates Iκ-Bα protein expression in adipose tissue and serum IL-4 and TNF-α concentrations in MSG obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is usually associated with low-grade inflammation, which impairs insulin action. The amino acid, taurine (TAU), regulates glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism and presents anti-inflammatory actions. Here, we evaluated whether inflammatory markers are altered in the serum and retroperitoneal adipose tissue of monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rats, supplemented or not with TAU.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats received subcutaneous injections of MSG (4 mg/kg body weight/day, MSG group) or hypertonic saline (CTL) during the first 5 days of life. From 21 to 120 days of age, half of each of the MSG and CTL groups received 2.5 % TAU in their drinking water (CTAU and MTAU).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 120 days of age, MSG rats were obese and hyperinsulinemic. TAU supplementation reduced fat deposition without affecting insulinemia in MTAU rats. MSG rats presented increased pIκ-Bα/Iκ-Bα protein expression in the retroperitoneal adipose tissue. TAU supplementation decreased the ratio of pIκ-Bα/Iκ-Bα protein, possibly contributing to the increased Iκ-Bα content in MTAU adipose tissue. Furthermore, MSG obesity or supplementation did not alter TNF-α, IL-1β or IL-6 content in adipose tissue. In contrast, MSG rats presented lower serum TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-10 concentrations, and these alterations were prevented by TAU treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MSG obesity in rats was not associated with alterations in pro-inflammatory markers in retroperitoneal fat stores; however, reductions in the serum concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines and of TNF-α were observed. TAU treatment decreased adiposity, and this effect was associated with the normalization of circulating TNF-α and IL-4 concentrations in MTAU rats.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Fisiologia Endócrina e Metabolismo (LAFEM), Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (UNIOESTE), Cascavel, PR, 858119-110, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Caetano
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Fisiologia Endócrina e Metabolismo (LAFEM), Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (UNIOESTE), Cascavel, PR, 858119-110, Brazil. mlbonfleur@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria Lúcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bonfleur
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Campus UFRJ-Macaé, Macaé, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosane Aparecida
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Pâncreas Endócrino e Metabolismo, Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tarlliza Romanna
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Nardelli
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Fisiologia Endócrina e Metabolismo (LAFEM), Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (UNIOESTE), Cascavel, PR, 858119-110, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lubaczeuski
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Campus UFRJ-Macaé, Macaé, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: do Nascimento da Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Pâncreas Endócrino e Metabolismo, Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Everardo Magalhães
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Fisiologia Endócrina e Metabolismo (LAFEM), Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (UNIOESTE), Cascavel, PR, 858119-110, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandra Lucinei
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Balbo
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha / Q000819:agonists / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012970:Sodium Glutamate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D013654:Taurine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; C000606206:Nfkbia protein, rat; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D013654:Taurine; D015847:Interleukin-4; D012970:Sodium Glutamate
keywords: Cytokines; Monosodium glutamate; Obesity; Taurine supplementation