title: Effects of pterostilbene in brown adipose tissue from obese rats.
abstract: In recent years, much attention has been paid by the scientific community to phenolic compounds as active biomolecules naturally present in foods. Pterostilbene is a resveratrol dimethylether derivative which shows higher bioavailability. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of pterostilbene on brown adipose tissue thermogenic markers in a model of genetic obesity, which shows reduced thermogenesis. The experiment was conducted with 30 Zucker (fa/fa) rats that were distributed in three experimental groups: control and two groups orally administered with pterostilbene at 15 and 30 mg/kg body weight/day for 6 weeks. Gene expression of uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ co-activator 1 α (Pgc-1α), carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1b (Cpt1b), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (Pparα), nuclear respiratory factor 1 (Nfr1), and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2); protein expression of PPARα, PGC-1α, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), UCP1 and glucose transporter (GLUT4); and enzyme activity of CPT 1b and citrate synthase (CS) were assessed in interscapular brown adipose tissue. With the exception of Pgc-1α expression, all these parameters were significantly increased by pterostilbene administration. These results show for the first time that pterostilbene increases thermogenic and oxidative capacity of brown adipose tissue in obese rats. Whether these effects effectively contribute to the antiobesity properties of these compound needs further research.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Obesity Group, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and Lucio Lascaray Research Centre, Paseo de la Universidad, 7, 01006, Vitoria, Spain.|CIBER Obesity and Physiopathology of Nutrition (CIBERobn), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Leixuri
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Obesity Group, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and Lucio Lascaray Research Centre, Paseo de la Universidad, 7, 01006, Vitoria, Spain.
authors.forename: Iñaki
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Milton-Laskibar
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia Hospital and Biodonostia Institute, San Sebastián, Spain.|CIBER Hepatic and Digestive Pathologies (CIBERehd), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hijona
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia Hospital and Biodonostia Institute, San Sebastián, Spain.|CIBER Hepatic and Digestive Pathologies (CIBERehd), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bujanda
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Natural Products Utilization Research Unit, University, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Agnes M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rimando
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Obesity Group, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and Lucio Lascaray Research Centre, Paseo de la Universidad, 7, 01006, Vitoria, Spain. mariapuy.portillo@ehu.eus.|CIBER Obesity and Physiopathology of Nutrition (CIBERobn), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. mariapuy.portillo@ehu.eus.
authors.forename: María P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Portillo
mesh_terms: D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D002149:Energy Intake; D015870:Gene Expression; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D022722:Thermogenesis
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D013267:Stilbenes; C107773:pterostilbene
keywords: Brown adipose tissue; Fatty acid oxidation; GLUT4; Obese rats; Pterostilbene