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Functional loss of melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) activity leads to hyperphagia and an obese, glucose intolerant phenotype. We have previously established that inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) reduces food intake, body weight and glucose homeostasis in diet-induced obesity. The current study assessed the effect of ACE inhibitor treatment in MC4R-deficient female rats on body weight, adiposity and glucose tolerance. Rats homozygous (HOM) for a loss of function Mc4r mutation had an obese phenotype relative to their wildtype (WT) littermates. Inhibition of ACE for 8weeks produced reductions in body weight gain in both HOM and WT rats; however, food intake was only reduced in HOM rats. Weight loss following ACE inhibitor treatment was specific to fat mass while lean mass was unaffected. HOM rats were severely glucose intolerant and insensitive to exogenous insulin injection, and treatment with an ACE inhibitor improved both glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in HOM rats although not fully to that of the level of WT rats. The current study indicates that HOM rats are sensitive to the anorectic effects of ACE inhibition, unlike their WT littermates. This resulted in a more rapid reduction in body weight gain and a more substantial loss of adipose mass in HOM animals, relative to WT animals, treated with an ACE inhibitor. Overall, these data demonstrate that MC4R signaling is not required for weight loss following treatment with an ACE inhibitor., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Overconsumption of a high-fat diet promotes weight gain that can result in obesity and associated comorbidities, including Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Consumption of a high-fat diet also alters gut-brain communication. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is an important gastrointestinal signal that modulates both short- and long-term energy balance and is integral in maintenance of glucose homeostasis. In the current study, we investigated whether high-fat diets (40% or 81% kcal from fat) modulated the ability of the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1r) agonists exendin-4 (Ex4) and liraglutide to reduce food intake and body weight. We observed that rats maintained on high-fat diets had a delayed acute anorexic response to peripheral administration of Ex4 or liraglutide compared with low-fat diet-fed rats (17% kcal from fat). However, once suppression of food intake in response to Ex4 or liraglutide started, the effect persisted for a longer time in the high-fat diet-fed rats compared with low-fat diet-fed rats. In contrast, centrally administered Ex4 suppressed food intake similarly between high-fat diet-fed and low-fat diet-fed rats. Chronic consumption of a high-fat diet did not change the pharmacokinetics of Ex4 but increased intestinal Glp1r expression and decreased hindbrain Glp1r expression. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that dietary composition alters the temporal profile of the anorectic response to exogenous GLP-1r agonists.

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is functional within adipose tissue and angiotensin II, the active component of RAS, has been implicated in adipose tissue hypertrophy and insulin resistance. In this study, captopril, an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor that prevents angiotensin II formation, was used to study the development of diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in obesity prone C57BL/6J mice. The mice were fed a high fat diet (w/w 21% fat) and allowed access to either water or water with captopril added (0.2 mg/ml). Body weight was recorded weekly and water and food intake daily. Glucose tolerance was determined after 11-12 weeks. On completion of the study (after 16 weeks of treatment), the mice were killed and kidney, liver, epididymal fat and extensor digitorum longus muscle (EDL) were weighed. Blood samples were collected and plasma analysed for metabolites and hormones. Captopril treatment decreased body weight in the first 2 weeks of treatment. Food intake of captopril-treated mice was similar to control mice prior to weight loss and was decreased after weight loss. Glucose tolerance was improved in captopril-treated mice. Captopril-treated mice had less epididymal fat than control mice. Relative to body weight, captopril-treated mice had increased EDL weight. Relative to control mice, mice administered captopril had a higher plasma concentration of adiponectin and lower concentrations of leptin and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). The results indicate that captopril both induced weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity. Thus, captopril may eventually be used for the treatment of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

In vitro studies have demonstrated that angiotensin II (ANG II) induces adipocyte hyperplasia and hypertrophy. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on body weight, adiposity and blood pressure in Sprague-Dawley rats. From birth half of the animals (n=15) were given water to drink, while the remainder were administered perindopril in their drinking water (2 mg/kg/day). Food intake, water intake and body weight were measured weekly. Blood pressure was measured by tail cuff plethysmography at 11-weeks. Body fat content and distribution were assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 12 weeks. Animals administered with perindopril had a body fat proportion that was half that of controls. This was consistent with, but disproportionately greater than the observed differences in food intake and body weight. Perindopril treatment completely removed hypertension. We conclude that the chronic inhibition of ANG II synthesis from birth specifically reduces the development of adiposity in the rat.