Anti-obesity effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in mice fed high-fat diet is independent of cold-induced thermogenesis

Physiol Res. 2013;62(2):153-61. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.932464. Epub 2012 Dec 13.

Abstract

Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) exert beneficial effects on health and they could help to prevent development of obesity and associated metabolic disorders. In our previous studies in mice fed high-fat (cHF; ~60 % calories as fat) diet and maintained at 20 °C, dietary LC n-3 PUFA could counteract accretion of body fat, without inducing mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in adipose tissue, suggesting that the anti-obesity effect was not linked to adaptive (UCP1-mediated) thermogenesis. To exclude a possible dependence of the anti-obesity effect on any mechanism inducible by cold, experiments were repeated in mice maintained at thermoneutrality (30 °C). Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either cHF diet, or cHF diet supplemented with LC n-3 PUFA, or standard diet for 7 months. Similarly as at 20 °C, the LC n-3 PUFA supplementation reduced accumulation of body fat, preserved lipid and glucose homeostasis, and induced fatty acid re-esterification in epididymal white adipose tissue. Food consumption was not affected by LC n-3 PUFA intake. Our results demonstrated anti-obesity metabolic effect of LC n-3 PUFA, independent of cold-induced thermogenesis and they suggested that induction of fatty acid re-esterification creating a substrate cycle in white fat, which results in energy expenditure, could contribute to the anti-obesity effect.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Anti-Obesity Agents*
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Calorimetry, Indirect
  • Cold Temperature
  • Diet, High-Fat / adverse effects*
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / blood
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / therapeutic use*
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Homeostasis / physiology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Obesity / drug therapy*
  • Thermogenesis / drug effects
  • Thermogenesis / physiology*
  • Triglycerides / blood

Substances

  • Anti-Obesity Agents
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • Triglycerides