title: Agavins Increase Neurotrophic Factors and Decrease Oxidative Stress in the Brains of High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fructans obtained from agave, called agavins, have recently shown significant benefits for human health including obesity. Therefore, we evaluated the potential of agavins as neuroprotectors and antioxidants by determining their effect on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) as well as oxidative brain damage in of obese mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and treated daily with 5% (HFD/A5) or 10% (HFD/A10) of agavins or a standard diet (SD) for 10 weeks. The levels of BDNF and GDNF were evaluated by ELISA. The oxidative stress was evaluated by lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and carbonyls. SCFAs were also measured with GC-FID. Differences between groups were assessed using ANOVA and by Tukey's test considering p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The body weight gain and food intake of mice HFD/A10 group were significantly lower than those in the HFD group. Agavins restored BDNF levels in HFD/A5 group and GDNF levels of HFD/A5 and HFD/A10 groups in cerebellum. Interestingly, agavins decreased TBARS levels in HFD/A5 and HFD/A10 groups in the hippocampus, frontal cortex and cerebellum. Carbonyl levels were also lower in HFD/A5 and HFD/A10 for only the hippocampus and cerebellum. It was also found that agavins enhanced SCFAs production in feces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Agavins may act as bioactive ingredients with antioxidant and protective roles in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad de Biotecnología e Ingeniería Genética de Plantas, Irapuato, Guanajuato C.P. 36821, México. efranco@ira.cinvestav.mx.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franco-Robles
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad de Biotecnología e Ingeniería Genética de Plantas, Irapuato, Guanajuato C.P. 36821, México. mlopez@ira.cinvestav.mx.
authors.forename: Mercedes G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005630:Fructans / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D005630:Fructans; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
keywords: agavins; brain; high-fat diet; lipids; oxidative stress