Adipocytes and intestinal epithelium dysfunctions linking obesity to inflammation induced by high glycemic index pellet-diet in Wistar rats

Abstract

We investigated the inflammatory effect of a pellet-diet with high glycemic index and load (HGLI) on the histological organization of adipocytes, intestinal epithelium, and fat in liver and pancreas in adult male Wistar rats. Two groups (n=10) received for 17 weeks: (1) HGLI diet or (2) Standard diet (Labina®). Histological analyses of adipose tissue, jejunum, liver, and pancreas were performed. Stereology analysis, visceral adiposity index, gene expression, and immunohistochemistry of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in visceral adipose tissue and plasma TNF-α were also assessed. The HGLI diet-induced hypertrophy of adipocytes with adipocyte volume density equal to 97.0%, cross-sectional area of adipocytes equivalent to 1387 µm² and a total volume of adipocytes of 6.97 cm³ an elevation of 8%, 25%, and 58%, respectively. Furthermore, the HGLI diet increased liver and pancreatic fat deposition, altered and inflamed the intestinal epithelia, and increased TNF-α gene expression (P=0.014) with a positive immunostaining in visceral adipose tissue and high plasma TNF-α in comparison with standard diet. The results suggest that this diet was able to generate changes commonly caused to solid diets with high fat or fructose-rich beverages. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature concerning the properties of low-cost, sucrose-rich pellet-diet presenting high glycemic index and high glycemic load efficient on the development of obesity complications in Wistar rats that were subjected to diet-induced obesity. Therefore, the HGLI pellet-diet may be considered an effective tool to be used by the scientific community in experimental research.

Tamarind Trypsin Inhibitor in Chitosan–Whey Protein Nanoparticles Reduces Fasting Blood Glucose Levels without Compromising Insulinemia: A Preclinical Study

“…Alterations in the pancreas were reported in a study using the HGLI diet [51]. Morphological changes in the pancreas of diabetic rats were shown in the studies of Ragavanand Krishnakumari [52], as well as Simon et al [53], which indicated separate lobes with lobular infiltration of lymphocytes, damaged tissue, β -cells degeneration, and damage of the Langerhans islets.…”

Safety and bioactive potential of nanoparticles containing Cantaloupe melon (Cucumis melo L.) carotenoids in an experimental model of chronic inflammation

“…Adult male Wistar rats with chronic inflammation-induced for 17 weeks by consuming a high glycemic index and high glycemic load (HGLI) diet [ 21 ] were obtained at the bioterium of Potiguar University (UnP). This study was conducted following the ethical standards of experimental animals and approved by the Ethics Committee on the Use of Animals of Potiguar University (CEUA-UnP), protocol number 019/2017.…”

Anti-TNF-α Agent Tamarind Kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor Improves Lipid Profile of Wistar Rats Presenting Dyslipidemia and Diet-induced Obesity Regardless of PPAR-γ Induction

“…To evaluate the effect of the treatments (TTIp and standard diet), the experiments were performed with four groups of animals ( Wistar rats, n = 5, male, adult). These groups were formed by animals fed an HGLI diet [34] and with nutritional diagnosis of obesity by the Lee Index ≥300 [35].…”

“…Experimental diets offered to rats throughout the in vivo experiment were the Labina ® , a standard and commercially available diet, and the HGLI diet. The HGLI diet contains 48% carbohydrates and has a glycemic index of 77.6 and a glycemic load of 38.8 [34,37] (Table 1).…”