Transcriptome analysis of anti-fatty liver action by Campari tomato using a zebrafish diet-induced obesity model

Abstract

BackgroundHigh dietary intake of vegetable products is beneficial against obesity and its related diseases such as dyslipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and cancer. We previously developed a diet-induced obesity model of zebrafish (DIO-zebrafish) that develops visceral adiposity, dyslipidemia, and liver steatosis. Zebrafish is a polyphagous animal; thus we hypothesized that DIO-zebrafish could be used for transcriptome analysis of anti-obesity effects of vegetables.ResultsEach vegetable exhibited different effects against obesity. We focused on "Campari" tomato, which suppressed increase of body weight, plasma TG, and lipid droplets in livers of DIO-zebrafish. Campari tomato decreased srebf1 mRNA by increase of foxo1 gene expression, which may depend on high contents of β-carotene in this strain.ConclusionsCampari tomato ameliorates diet-induced obesity, especially dyslipidemia and liver steatosis via downregulation of gene expression related to lipogenesis. DIO-zebrafish can discriminate the anti-obesity effects of different strains of vegetables, and will become a powerful tool to assess outcomes and find novel mechanisms of anti-obesity effects of natural products.

Zebrafish Models of Human Liver Development and Disease

“…These changes are reversible by a 2 week period of calorie restriction, or treatment with extracts of selected foods (178). A separate overfeeding model used a proteomic approach to show decreased levels of oxygen binding proteins (including iron ion-binding proteins) in overfed fish, similar to a response seen in obese humans (89).…”

Rhamnan sulphate from Monostroma nitidum attenuates hepatic steatosis by suppressing lipogenesis in a diet-induced obesity zebrafish model

“…The histological configuration of target organs of adiposity such as fat accumulation in the liver is also similar to that found in human adipose tissues. Using DIO zebrafish screening, we discovered several natural products and bioactive molecules that protect against hepatic steatosis (Hiramitsu et al, 2014;Tainaka et al, 2011;Zang, Shimada, Kawajiri, Tanaka, & Nishimura, 2014).…”

A High-Throughput Fluorescence-Based Assay System for Appetite-Regulating Gene and Drug Screening

“…Compared with other model organisms used in drug screening (yeast, nematodes, and fruit flies), zebrafish possess many evolutionary and morphological similarities to humans [12]. Also, various models of human disease have been established in zebrafish [13]–[15] for genetic disorders [16] and diet-induced obesity [17], [18]. For appetite regulation, zebrafish npy [10], agouti-related protein [16], melatonin 4 receptor, and melatonin [19] are well conserved in appetite or metabolic regulation.…”