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Differential effects of high-carbohydrate and high-fat diets on hepatic lipogenesis in rats

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Abstract

Purpose

Hepatic fatty acid synthesis is influenced by several nutritional and hormonal factors. In this study, we have investigated the effects of distinct experimental diets enriched in carbohydrate or in fat on hepatic lipogenesis.

Methods

Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups and fed distinct experimental diets enriched in carbohydrates (70 % w/w) or in fat (20 and 35 % w/w). Activity and expression of the mitochondrial citrate carrier and of the cytosolic enzymes acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase were analyzed through the study with assessments at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks. Liver lipids and plasma levels of lipids, glucose, and insulin were assayed in parallel.

Results

Whereas the high-carbohydrate diet moderately stimulated hepatic lipogenesis, a strong inhibition of this anabolic pathway was found in animals fed high-fat diets. This inhibition was time-dependent and concentration-dependent. Moreover, whereas the high-carbohydrate diet induced an increase in plasma triglycerides, the high-fat diets determined an accumulation of triglycerides in liver. An increase in the plasmatic levels of glucose and insulin was observed in all cases.

Conclusions

The excess of sucrose in the diet is converted into fat that is distributed by bloodstream in the organism in the form of circulating triglycerides. On the other hand, a high amount of dietary fat caused a strong inhibition of lipogenesis and a concomitant increase in the level of hepatic lipids, thereby highlighting, in these conditions, the role of liver as a reservoir of exogenous fat.

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Conflict of interest

None.

Ethics statement

This study was carried out in strict accordance with the European Committee Council 106 Directive (86/609/EEC) and with the Italian animal welfare legislation (art 4 and 5 of D.L. 116/92). The Italian Ministry of Health specifically approved this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Via Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy

    Alessandra Ferramosca, Annalea Conte, Fabrizio Damiano, Luisa Siculella & Vincenzo Zara

Authors
  1. Alessandra Ferramosca
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  2. Annalea Conte
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  3. Fabrizio Damiano
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  4. Luisa Siculella
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  5. Vincenzo Zara
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Correspondence to Vincenzo Zara.

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Ferramosca, A., Conte, A., Damiano, F. et al. Differential effects of high-carbohydrate and high-fat diets on hepatic lipogenesis in rats. Eur J Nutr 53, 1103–1114 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-013-0613-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-013-0613-8

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