The effects of long- or medium-chain fat diets on glucose tolerance and myocellular content of lipid intermediates in rats

Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011 Apr;19(4):792-9. doi: 10.1038/oby.2010.152. Epub 2010 Jul 1.

Abstract

Accumulation of triacylglycerols (TAGs) and acylcarnitines in skeletal muscle upon high-fat (HF) feeding is the resultant of fatty acid uptake and oxidation and is associated with insulin resistance. As medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) are preferentially β-oxidized over long-chain fatty acids, we examined the effects of medium-chain TAGs (MCTs) and long-chain TAGs (LCTs) on muscle lipid storage and whole-body glucose tolerance. Rats fed a low-fat (LF), HFLCT, or an isocaloric HFMCT diet displayed a similar body weight gain over 8 weeks of treatment. Only HFLCT increased myocellular TAG (42.3 ± 4.9, 71.9 ± 6.7, and 48.5 ± 6.5 µmol/g for LF, HFLCT, and HFMCT, respectively, P < 0.05) and long-chain acylcarnitine content (P < 0.05). Neither HF diet increased myocellular diacylglycerol (DAG) content. Intraperitoneal (IP) glucose tolerance tests (1.5 g/kg) revealed a significantly decreased glucose tolerance in the HFMCT compared to the HFLCT-fed rats (802 ± 40, 772 ± 18, and 886 ± 18 area under the curve for LF, HFLCT, and HFMCT, respectively, P < 0.05). Finally, no differences in myocellular insulin signaling after bolus insulin injection (10 U/kg) were observed between LF, HFLCT, or HFMCT-fed rats. These results show that accumulation of TAGs and acylcarnitines in skeletal muscle in the absence of body weight gain do not impede myocellular insulin signaling or whole-body glucose intolerance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Blotting, Western
  • Body Weight
  • Carnitine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Carnitine / metabolism
  • Dietary Fats / administration & dosage*
  • Dietary Fats / metabolism
  • Diglycerides / analysis
  • Energy Metabolism
  • Fatty Acids / pharmacokinetics*
  • Glucose Intolerance / metabolism*
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Insulin / blood
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Lipid Peroxidation
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / drug effects
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Triglycerides / pharmacokinetics*

Substances

  • 1,2-diacylglycerol
  • Blood Glucose
  • Dietary Fats
  • Diglycerides
  • Fatty Acids
  • Insulin
  • Triglycerides
  • acylcarnitine
  • Carnitine