Research Article Details
Article ID: | A15237 |
PMID: | 29028831 |
Source: | PLoS One |
Title: | Short-term vitamin E treatment impairs reactive oxygen species signaling required for adipose tissue expansion, resulting in fatty liver and insulin resistance in obese mice. |
Abstract: | OBJECTIVES: The use of antioxidant therapy in the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or obesity remains controversial. Our aim is to demonstrate that antioxidant supplementation may promote negative effects if used before the establishment of oxidative stress due to a reduced ROS generation under physiological levels, in a mice model of obesity. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were fed with a high-fat diet for 14 weeks, with (OE group) or without (O group) vitamin E supplementation. RESULTS: O mice developed a mild degree of obesity, which was not enough to induce metabolic alterations or oxidative stress. These animals exhibited a healthy expansion of retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (rpWAT) and the liver showed no signs of lipotoxicity. Interestingly, despite achieving a similar body weight, OE mice were insulin resistant. In the rpWAT they presented a reduced generation of ROS, even below physiological levels (C: 1651.0 ± 212.0; O: 3113 ± 284.7; OE: 917.6 ±104.4 RFU/mg protein. C vs OE p< 0.01). ROS decay may impair their action as second messengers, which could account for the reduced adipocyte differentiation, lipid transport and adipogenesis compared to the O group. Together, these processes limited the expansion of this fat pad and as a consequence, lipid flux shifted towards the liver, causing steatosis and hepatomegaly, which may contribute to the marked insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides in vivo evidence for the role of ROS as second messengers in adipogenesis, lipid metabolism and insulin signaling. Reducing ROS generation below physiological levels when the oxidative process has not yet been established may be the cause of the controversial results obtained by antioxidant therapy. |
DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0186579 |

Strategy ID | Therapy Strategy | Synonyms | Therapy Targets | Therapy Drugs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
S01 | Improve insulin resistance | insulin sensitizer; insulin resistance; glucose tolerance | Biguanide: increases 5-AMP activated protein kinase signaling; SGLT-2 inhibitor; Thiazalidinedione: selective PPAR-γ agonists; GLP-1 agonist | Metformin; Empagliflozin; Canagliflozin; Rosiglitazone; Pioglitazone; Liraglutide | Details |
S02 | Enhance lipid metabolism | triglyceride-lowering; lipid tolerance; lipid metabolism | 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) inhibitor; Decreases intestinal cholesterol absorption; FXR agonist; ACC inhibitor; FAS inhibitor; DGAT2 inhibitor; SCD-1 inhibitor | Atorvastatin; Ezetimibe; Obeticholic Acid; GS-9674; GS-0976; TVB-2640; IONIS-DGAT2rx; Aramchol; | Details |
S04 | Anti-oxidative stress | oxidative stress | α-tocopherol: antioxidant | Vitamin E | Details |
S07 | Anti-lipogenesis | de novo lipogenesis; de novo lipogenesis; DNL; anti-lipogenic mechanisms; adipogenesis; anti-obesity | stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD-1); Acetyl-coenzyme carboxylase; acyl-CoA carboxylase inhibitor (ACC inhibitor); stearoyl Coenzyme A desaturase inhibitor (SCD inhibitor); THR-beta selective agonist; DGAT2 inhibitor; FASN inhibitor | Aramchol; Firsocostat (GS-0976); VK-2809; ION 224 | Details |
Diseases ID | DO ID | Disease Name | Definition | Class | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
I05 | 9352 | Type 2 diabetes mellitus | A diabetes that is characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. A diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_mellitus_type_2 | disease of metabolism/inherited metabolic disorder/ carbohydrate metabolic disorder/glucose metabolism disease/diabetes/ diabetes mellitus | Details |
I14 | 9970 | Obesity | An overnutrition that is characterized by excess body fat, traditionally defined as an elevated ratio of weight to height (specifically 30 kilograms per meter squared), has_material_basis_in a multifactorial etiology related to excess nutrition intake, decreased caloric utilization, and genetic susceptibility, and possibly medications and certain disorders of metabolism, endocrine function, and mental illness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity | disease of metabolism/acquired metabolic disease/ nutrition disease/overnutrition | Details |
Drug ID | Drug Name | Type | DrugBank ID | Targets | Category | Latest Progress | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D080 | Citrulline | Chemical drug | DB00155 | -- | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
D388 | Vitamin E | Supplement | DB00163 | NR1I2; ALOX5; DGKA | Anti-inflammatory | Under clinical trials | Details |
D182 | Insulin | Biological drug | DB00030 | INSR agonist; CPE modulator&product of | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |