Epicatechin modulates fat pads changes associated to a high fat-diet in mice

LITTERIO, M. C; MOSSE, JUANA I.; GALLEANO, M; HID, E

Lisboa

Congreso; 19th Biennial meeting for the Society fot Free Radical Research international (SFRRI); 2018

This work focuses on the effects of (-)-epicatechin (EC) on fat pads changes induced by high-fat diet. C57BL/6 male mice were divided in 4 groups receiving control diet (10% calories from fat), HF diet (60% of calories from fat), and these diets added with 20 mg EC/kg bw for 15 w. Even when caloric intake was not different among groups, HF increased mice weight. In white fat pads, inflammation (IL-6 and iNOS expression) and oxidative stress (gp91 phox expression and MDA content) increases were associated with fat pads expansions. Adipocytes size was not different in HF respect to C group. On the other hand, HF diet induces expansion of aortic perivascular adipose tissue (aPVAT), with an increase of adipocyte size. Adipocytes/area were significantly lower in HF diet respect to C group. Changes in vacuolization patterns suggest a shift to white adiposity phenotype, confirmed by a lower UCP-1 expression. All the observed changes in aPVAT were attenuated by EC. Since aPVAT dysfunction is relevant for hypertension and atherosclerosis, the effects of EC support an alternative nutritional strategy to avoid the progression of vascular dysfunction associated to the development of obesity.