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Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has been considered the hepatic manifestation of obesity. It is unclear whether supplementation with green tea extract rich in epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) influences the activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes and insulin resistance in the liver. EGCG regulated hepatic mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes and was capable of improving lipid metabolism, attenuating insulin resistance in obese mice. Mice were divided into four groups: control diet+water (CW) or EGCG (CE) and hyperlipidic diet+water (HFW) or EGCG (HFE). All animals received water and diets ad libitum for 16 weeks. Placebo groups received water (0.1 ml/day) and EGCG groups (0.1 ml EGCG and 50 mg/kg/day) by gavage. Cytokines concentrations were obtained by ELISA, protein expression through Western blotting and mitochondrial complex enzymatic activity by colorimetric assay of substrate degradation. HFW increased body weight gain, adiposity index, retroperitoneal and mesenteric adipose tissue relative weight, serum glucose, insulin and Homeostasis Model Assessment of Basal Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR); glucose intolerance was observed in oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) as well as ectopic fat liver deposition. HFE group decreased body weight gain, retroperitoneal and mesenteric adipose tissue relative weight, HOMA-IR, insulin levels and liver fat accumulation; increased complexes II-III and IV and malate dehydrogenase activities and improvement in glucose uptake in OGTT and insulin sensitivity by increased protein expression of total AKT, IRα and IRS1. We did not find alterations in inflammatory parameters analyzed. EGCG was able to prevent obesity stimulating the mitochondrial complex chain, increasing energy expenditure, particularly from the oxidation of lipid substrates, thereby contributing to the prevention of hepatic steatosis and improved insulin sensitivity.

BackgroundObesity is associated with increased adipose tissue and glucose intolerance. High-fat diets (HFDs) are known to induce obesity and increase proinflammatory adipokines. The consumption of green tea may improve the health of obese individuals because it contains a potent antioxidant that has effects on body weight, energy expenditure and serum cholesterol concentrations.MethodsWe examined the effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) (50 mg/kg body weight per day) or saline after 30 or 60 days of treatment. Mice were distributed into four groups: 1) NS: normolipidic diet receiving saline; 2) NE: normolipidic diet receiving EGCG; 3) HFS: high-fat diet receiving saline; 4) HFE: high-fat diet receiving EGCG.ResultsWe observed that administration of a HFD plus EGCG treatment for 60 days reduced delta weight, the relative weights of the mesenteric adipose tissue (MES), retroperitonial adipose tissue (RET), epididymal adipose tissue (EPI), the sum of the adipose tissues (SAT), reduced triacylglycerol (TG) and improved both high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and the adiponectin/STA ratio when compared with HFS.ConclusionsOur results suggest that the chronic administration of EGCG (60 days) promoted a significant improvement in glucose tolerance, decreased adipose tissue deposits, weight mass, TG and HDL-C only when associated with high-fat diet treatment.

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BackgroundPreviously, we showed that the intake of trans fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation triggers a pro-inflammatory status in the offspring. On the other hand, prebiotics can alter the intestinal environment, reducing serum lipopolysaccharides (LPS) concentrations. This study evaluated the effect of the oligofructose 10% diet supplementation in the presence or absence of hydrogenated vegetable fat during pregnancy and lactation on the development, endotoxemia and bacterial composition of 21-d-old offspring.MethodsOn the first day of pregnancy rats were divided into four groups: control diet (C), control diet supplemented with 10% oligofructose (CF), diet enriched with hydrogenated vegetable fat, rich in TFA (T) or diet enriched with hydrogenated vegetable fat supplemented with 10% oligofructose (TF). Diets were maintained during pregnancy and lactation. At birth, 7th, 14th and 21th, pups were weighed and length was measured. Serum concentrations of LPS and free fatty acids (FFA) were performed by specific kits. Bacterial DNA present in faeces was determined by real-time PCR. Data were expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean and the statistical analysis was realized by ANOVA two-way and ANOVA for repeated measures. p < 0.05 was considered significant.ResultsWe observed that the oligofructose (10%) supplementation during pregnancy and lactation reduced body weight, body weight gain, length and serum FFA in the CF and TF group compared to C and T group respectively, of the 21-day-old offspring, accompanied by an increase in serum LPS and genomic DNA levels of lactobacillus spp. on faeces of the CF group in relation to C group.ConclusionIn conclusion, dam’s diet supplementation with 10% of oligofructose during pregnancy and lactation, independent of addition with hydrogenated vegetable fat, harms the offspring development, alters the bacterial composition and increases the serum concentrations of lipopolysaccharides in 21d-old pups.