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Fish oil supplementation attenuates changes in plasma lipids caused by dexamethasone treatment in rats

Authors :
Everson Araújo Nunes
Cristiane dos Santos
Priscila de Cássia Francisco
Alex Rafacho
Thayz Rodrigues Chagas
Amanda Marreiro Barbosa
Katia Motta
Source :
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 41:382-390
Publication Year :
2016
Publisher :
Canadian Science Publishing, 2016.

Abstract

Dexamethasone is an anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid that may alter glucose and lipid homeostasis when administered in high doses or for long periods of time. Omega-3 fatty acids, present in fish oil (FO), can be used as potential modulators of intermediary glucose and lipid metabolism. Herein, we evaluate the effects of FO supplementation (1 g·kg–1body weight (BW)) on glucose and lipid metabolism in rats treated with dexamethasone (0.5 mg·kg–1BW) for 15 days. Adult male Wistar rats were distributed among 4 groups: control (saline, 1 mL·kg–1BW and mineral oil, 1 g·kg–1BW), DEX (dexamethasone and mineral oil), FO (fish oil and saline), and DFO (fish oil and dexamethasone). Dexamethasone and saline were administered intraperitoneally, and fish oil and mineral oil were administered by gavage. We evaluated functional and molecular parameters of lipid and glycemic profiles at 8 days and at the end of treatment. FO supplementation increased hepatic docosahexaenoic acid (DEX: 5.6% ± 0.7%; DFO: 10.5% ± 0.8%) and eicosapentaenoic acid (DEX: 0.3% ± 0.0%; DFO: 1.3% ± 0.1%) contents and attenuated the increase of plasma triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, and non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations in DFO rats compared with DEX rats. These effects seem not to depend on hepatic expression of insulin receptor substrate 1, protein kinase B, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ. There was no effect of supplementation on body weight loss, fasting glycemia, and glucose tolerance in rats treated with dexamethasone. In conclusion, we show that FO supplementation for 15 days attenuates the dyslipidemia induced by dexamethasone treatment.

Details

ISSN :
17155320 and 17155312
Volume :
41
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....8562ce22d3113cc27ad93e4e28ee70bd
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2015-0487