Pistachio Consumption Prevents and Improves Lipid Dysmetabolism by Reducing the Lipid Metabolizing Gene Expression in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Abstract

Pistachios contain beneficial substances such as unsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols, and polyphenols. In the present study, we investigated if pistachio consumption is able to prevent or to revert hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and adipose tissue morphological alterations caused by high fat diet (HFD) in the mouse. Moreover, the impact of pistachio intake on the mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ), fatty acid transport proteins (FAT-P), fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1), and sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor-1c (SREBP-1c) in liver and adipose tissue was also analyzed. No change in body weight, food intake, and hyperglycemia was observed between mice consuming pistachios (HFD-P) and HFD mice. Pistachio intake was able to prevent but not to reverse HFD-induced hypertriglyceridemia. Cholesterol plasma levels, steatosis grading, body fat mass, and adipocyte size were significantly lower in HFD-P group compared to HFD in both prevention and reversal protocol. Pistachio-diet was able to prevent HFD-induced overexpression of PPAR-γ, FAS, and SCD1 in the liver and SREBP-1c, PPAR-γ, and FAT-P in adipose tissue. Similarly, HFD-P significantly ameliorated the expression levels of FAT-P and SCD1 in the liver and SREBP-1c, FAS, and SCD1 in adipose tissue of obese mice. The present study shows that pistachio consumption is able to prevent and to ameliorate obesity-related dysfunctions by positively modulating the expression of genes linked to lipid metabolism.

Regular Intake of Pistachio Mitigates the Deleterious Effects of a High Fat-Diet in the Brain of Obese Mice

“…The results obtained by measuring the metabolic parameters allow us to discard the supposition that the effects of pistachio consumption in the brain are a direct consequence of actions on glucose metabolism or bodyweight, because no changes in fasting glycemia, HOMA index, or body weight were observed. It was noted that the inability of chronic pistachio intake to change the bodyweight or influencing glucose dysmetabolism was already reported both in humans and animal models [15,33]. Our results suggest that the effects of regular pistachio intake are attributable to beneficial actions on lipid dysmetabolism and redox state.…”

“…Indeed, Singh et al [31] demonstrated that Pistacia vera fruit extracts improve mouse cognitive processes after chemically-induced deficits; however, the mechanisms responsible have not been clarified yet. Pistachio regular consumption has already been shown to enhance the obesity-related dysfunctions, including inflammation, by positively modulating the expression of genes linked to the lipid metabolism [4,15]. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to verify whether supplementing an HFD with pistachio fruits can mitigate the harmful effects associated with the consumption of an HFD in the brain of obese mice.…”

“…Phytochemicals of pistachio show high bioavailability, contributing to the beneficial relationship between pistachio consumption and health-related outcomes [21]. Furthermore, recent data have demonstrated the ability of pistachio consumption in preventing and ameliorating some obesity-related dysfunctions such as dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and systemic and adipose tissue inflammation [15,22]. Accumulation of several lipids associated with an increase in oxidative stress has also been reported in the brain of HFD-fed rodents [23].…”

“…The longevity of one Mediterranean population, over 90 years old without dementia, was attributed to the nutraceutical components of the Mediterranean diet [11]. Functional food has been reported to delay or inhibit neurodegeneration, suggesting their employment as an alternative therapeutic strategy for correlated diseases [12][13][14].Benefits of nut consumption (mainly pistachios, walnuts, and almonds) have been described in studies on both animals and humans [15,16]. Daily nut consumption can improve dysmetabolic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related cardiovascular diseases [17,18].…”

“…Benefits of nut consumption (mainly pistachios, walnuts, and almonds) have been described in studies on both animals and humans [15,16]. Daily nut consumption can improve dysmetabolic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related cardiovascular diseases [17,18].…”