Whey protein effects on energy balance link the intestinal mechanisms of energy absorption with adiposity and hypothalamic neuropeptide gene expression.
We tested the hypothesis that dietary whey protein isolate (WPI) affects the intestinal mechanisms related to energy absorption and that the resulting energy deficit is compensated by changes in energy balance to support growth. C57BL/6 mice were provided a diet enriched with WPI with varied sucrose content, and the impact on energy balance-related parameters was investigated. As part of a high-sucrose diet, WPI reduced the hypothalamic expression of pro-opiomelanocortin gene expression and increased energy intake. The energy expenditure was unaffected, but epididymal weight was reduced, indicating an energy loss. Notably, there was a reduction in the ileum gene expression for amino acid transporter SLC6a19, glucose transporter 2, and fatty acid transporter 4. The composition of the gut microbiota also changed, whereFirmicuteswere reduced. The above changes indicated reduced energy absorption through the intestine. We propose that this mobilized energy in the adipose tissue and caused hypothalamic changes that increased energy intake, acting to counteract the energy deficit arising in the intestine. Lowering the sucrose content in the WPI diet increased energy expenditure. This further reduced epididymal weight and plasma leptin, whereupon hypothalamic ghrelin gene expression and the intestinal weight were both increased. These data suggest that when the intestine-adipose-hypothalamic pathway is subjected to an additional energy loss (now in the adipose tissue), compensatory changes attempt to assimilate more energy. Notably, WPI and sucrose content interact to enable the component mechanisms of this pathway.
Food Biosciences Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland; kanishka.nilaweera@teagasc.ie.
Kanishka N
KN
Nilaweera
Food Biosciences Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland.
Raul
R
Cabrera-Rubio
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.|Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland.
John R
JR
Speakman
Food Biosciences Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland.
Paula M
PM
O'Connor
Food Biosciences Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland.
AnneMarie
A
McAuliffe
Food Biosciences Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland.
Caitriona M
CM
Guinane
Food Biosciences Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland.
Elaine M
EM
Lawton
Food Biosciences Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland.
Fiona
F
Crispie
APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Mònica
M
Aguilera
APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.|School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Maurice
M
Stanley
Food Biosciences Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland.|Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and.
Serena
S
Boscaini
APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.|School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Susan
S
Joyce
APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Silvia
S
Melgar
APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.|Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and.
John F
JF
Cryan
Food Biosciences Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland.|APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Paul D
PD
Cotter
D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000187:drug effects; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000067816:Whey Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004044:Dietary Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000067816:Whey Proteins
gut microbiota; whey proteins