Betaine Alleviates Hypertriglycemia and Tau Hyperphosphorylation in db/db Mice.
- Author:
Ga Young JUNG
1
;
Sae Bom WON
;
Juhae KIM
;
Sookyoung JEON
;
Anna HAN
;
Young Hye KWON
Author Information
1. Department of Food and Nutrition, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. hye0414@snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Betaine;
db/db mice;
ER stress;
Insulin resistance;
Oxidative stress;
Tau phosphorylation
- MeSH:
Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase;
Animals;
Betaine;
Brain;
Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase;
Catalase;
Diet;
Diet, High-Fat;
Endoplasmic Reticulum;
Gluconeogenesis;
Glucose;
Glutathione;
Humans;
Hyperinsulinism;
Hyperlipidemias;
Insulin Resistance;
JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases;
Lipid Metabolism;
Lipid Peroxidation;
Liver;
Male;
Mice;
Oxidative Stress;
PPAR alpha;
PPAR gamma;
RNA, Messenger;
Transcription Factors
- From:Toxicological Research
2013;29(1):7-14
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Betaine supplementation has been shown to alleviate altered glucose and lipid metabolism in mice fed a high-fat diet or a high-sucrose diet. We investigated the beneficial effects of betaine in diabetic db/db mice. Alleviation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and oxidative stress was also examined in the livers and brains of db/db mice fed a betaine-supplemented diet. Male C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice were fed with or without 1% betaine for 5 wk (referred to as the db/db-betaine group and the db/db group, respectively). Lean non-diabetic db/+ mice were used as the control group. Betaine supplementation significantly alleviated hyperinsulinemia in db/db mice. Betaine reduced hepatic expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha, a major transcription factor involved in gluconeogenesis. Lower serum triglyceride concentrations were also observed in the db/db-betaine group compared to the db/db group. Betaine supplementation induced hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a mRNA levels, and reduced acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity. Mice fed a betaine-supplemented diet had increased total glutathione concentrations and catalase activity, and reduced lipid peroxidation levels in the liver. Furthermore, betaine also reduced ER stress in liver and brain. c-Jun N-terminal kinase activity and tau hyperphosphorylation levels were lower in db/db mice fed a betaine-supplemented diet, compared to db/db mice. Our findings suggest that betaine improves hyperlipidemia and tau hyperphosphorylation in db/db mice with insulin resistance by alleviating ER and oxidative stress.
