Dietary calcium supplementation in adult rats reverts brown adipose tissue dysfunction programmed by postnatal early overfeeding.
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) dysfunction is associated with obesity and its comorbidities, such as hypertension, and the improvement of BAT function seems important for obesity management. Here we investigated the effects of dietary calcium supplementation on BAT autonomic nerve activity, sympathoadrenal function and cardiovascular parameters in adult obese rats that were raised in small litters (SL group). Three days after birth, SL litters were adjusted to three pups to induce early overfeeding. The control group remained with 10 pups/litter until weaning (NL group). At PN120, the SL group was randomly divided into the following: rats fed with standard chow (SL) and rats fed with dietary calcium carbonate supplementation (SL-Ca, 10g/kg chow). Animals were killed either at PN120 or PN180. At both ages, SL rats had higher BAT autonomic nervous system activity, mass and adipocyte area, as well as increased heart rate and blood pressure (systolic and diastolic); 2 months of calcium supplementation normalized these parameters. At PN180 only, UCP1 and TRβ1 in BAT were decreased in SL rats. These changes were also prevented by calcium treatment. Also at PN180, the SL group presented higher tyrosine hydroxylase and adrenal catecholamine contents, as well as lower hypothalamic POMC and MC4R contents. Calcium supplementation did not revert these alterations. Thus, we demonstrated that dietary calcium supplementation was able to improve cardiovascular parameters and BAT thermogenesis capacity in adult animals that were early overfed during lactation.
Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Ellen Paula Santos
EPS
Conceição
Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Egberto Gaspar
EG
Moura
Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Elaine
E
Oliveira
Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Deysla Sabino
DS
Guarda
Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Mariana Sarto
MS
Figueiredo
Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Fernanda Torres
FT
Quitete
Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Camila
C
Calvino
Department of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cell Biology, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
Rosiane Aparecida
RA
Miranda
Department of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cell Biology, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
Paulo Cezar Freitas
PCF
Mathias
Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Alex Christian
AC
Manhães
Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: pclisboa@uerj.br.
Patricia Cristina
PC
Lisboa
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D022722:Thermogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D014886:Weaning
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4; C000613745:melanocortin receptor type 4, rat; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin
Autonomic function; Calcium supplementation; Obesity; Overnutrition; Rat; Small litter