Title
High-fat diet decreases tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression irrespective of obesity susceptibility in mice
Document Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Tyrosine hydroxylase is the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter in the regulation of food intake. This study examined tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression in obese mice fed a high-fat diet. After 8 week feeding of high-fat diet mice were classified as diet-induced obese and obese-resistant according to body weight gain. They were then placed on different dietary interventions including a high-fat diet, a low-fat diet and an energy-restricted high-fat diet for six weeks. The control group was fed a low-fat diet. The results revealed that tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH), and substantia nigra (SN) of the high-fat diet-induced obese (ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÿ 29%, ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÿ 26% and ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÿ 26%) and obese-resistant mice (ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÿ 21%, ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÿ 24% and ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÿ 18%) compared to controls. After switching the diet from high to low-fat diet tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA was increased in the VTA, VMH, and SN of the diet-induced obese mice and in the VMH, and SN of the obese-resistant mice. Energy restriction, even with high-fat feeding, reduced tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression in the VTA, VMH, and SN compared to controls. In addition, tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression in the VTA, VMH, and SN showed a significant negative correlation with plasma leptin levels. This study suggests that the up- or down-regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression in the VTA, VMH, and SN is mainly due to the intake of macronutrient type rather than body weight.
RIS ID
25773
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Publication Details
Li, Y., South, T., Han, M., Chen, J., Wang, R. & Huang, X. (2009). High-fat diet decreases tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression irrespective of obesity susceptibility in mice. Brain Research, 1268 181-189.