Early cardiac changes induced by a hypercaloric Western-type diet in "subclinical" obesity

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Goncalves, N (Author) FMUP; Silva, AF (Author) Other; Rodrigues, PG (Author) Other; Correia, E (Author) Other; Moura, C (Author) Other; Eloy, C (Author) Other; Roncon-Albuquerque R Jr (Author) FMUP; Falcao Pires, I (Author) FMUP; Leite-Moreira AF (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology

Vol. 310

Pages: H655-H666

ISSN: 0363-6135

Publisher: American Physiological Society

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 30 Citations

Scopus - 32 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00K-B0E

DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00684.2015

Abstract (EN): "Obesity cardiomyopathy" effects have been widely described; however, the specific contribution of metabolic changes and altered adipokine secretion are still uncharacterized. Moreover, a diagnosis based on body mass index might not be the most accurate to identify increased adiposity and its outcomes. In this study, we aimed to determine the impact of a Western-type diet [hypercaloric diet (HCD)] ingestion on biventricular structure and function, as well as the metabolic and endocrine changes that occur before the establishment of overt obesity. Wistar rats were fed for 6 wk with a regular diet or HCD. At the end of the protocol, metabolic tests, cardiac structure, and functional evaluation were performed, and blood and tissue samples collected to perform histological, molecular biology, and functional studies. The animals that ingested the HCD presented increased adiposity and larger adipocyte cross-sectional area, but similar body weight compared with the regular diet group. At the cardiac level, HCD induced biventricular cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, fibrosis, increased stiffness, and impaired relaxation. Galectin-3 plasma expression was likewise elevated in the same animals. The nutritional modulation also altered the secretory pattern of the adipose tissue, originating a proinflammatory systemic environment. In this study, we observed that before "clinical" overweight or frank obesity is established, the ingestion of a HCD-induced cardiac remodeling manifests by increased biventricular stiffness and diastolic dysfunction. The mechanism triggering the cardiac alterations appears to be the proinflammatory environment promoted by the adipose tissue dysfunction. Furthermore, galectin-3, a profibrotic molecule, might be a potential biomarker for the myocardial alterations promoted by the HCD before overweight or obesity.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12