Apoptosis induced by a low-carbohydrate and high-protein diet in rat livers

AIM: To determine whether high-protein, high-fat, and low-carbohydrate diets can cause lesions in rat livers.METHODS: We randomly divided 20 female Wistar rats into a control diet group and an experimental diet group. Animals in the control group received an AIN-93 M diet, and animals in the experimental group received an Atkins-based diet(59.46% protein, 31.77% fat, and 8.77% carbohydrate). After 8 wk, the rats were anesthetized and exsanguinated for transaminases analysis, and their livers were removed for flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and light microscopy studies. We expressed the data as mean ± standard deviation(sd) assuming unpaired and parametric data; we analyzed differences using the student's t-test. statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.RESULTS: We found that plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. According to flow cytometry, the percentages of nonviable cells were 11.67% ± 1.12% for early apoptosis, 12.07% ± 1.11% for late apoptosis, and 7.11% ± 0.44% for non-apoptotic death in the experimental diet group and 3.73% ± 0.50% for early apoptosis, 5.67% ± 0.72% for late apoptosis, and 3.82% ± 0.28% for non-apoptotic death in the control diet group. The mean percentage of early apoptosis was higher in the experimental diet group than in the control diet group. Immunohistochemistry for autophagy was negative in both groups. sinusoidal dilation around the central vein and small hepatocytes was only observed in the experimental diet group, and fibrosis was not identified by hematoxylin-eosin or Trichrome Masson staining in either group.CONCLUSION: Eight weeks of an experimental diet resulted in cellular and histopathological lesions in rat livers. Apoptosis was our principal finding; elevated plasma transaminases demonstrate hepatic lesions.

Effects of different diets on intestinal microbiota and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease development

AIM To study the effects of different diets on intestinal microbiota and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) development at the same caloric intake.METHODS Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into five groups(six rats each). The control diet(CON) group and free high-fat diet(FFAT) group were allowed ad libitum access to a normal chow diet and a highfat diet, respectively. The restrictive high-fat diet(RFAT) group, restrictive high-sugar diet(RSUG) group, and high-protein diet(PRO) group were fed a highfat diet, a high-sugar diet, and a high-protein diet, respectively, in an isocaloric way. All rats were killed at 12 wk. Body weight, visceral fat index(visceral fat/body weight), liver index(liver/body weight), insulin resistance, portal lipopolysaccharide(LPS), serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT), serum aspartate aminotransferase(AST), and liver triglycerides were measured. The intestinal microbiota in the different groups of rats was sequenced using high-throughput sequencing technology.RESULTS The FFAT group had higher body weight, visceral fat index, liver index, peripheral insulin resistance, portal LPS, serum ALT, serum AST, and liver triglycerides compared with all other groups(P < 0.05). Taking the same calories, the RFAT and RSUG groups demonstrated increased body weight, visceral fat index, peripheral insulin resistance and liver triglycerides compared with the PRO group(P < 0.05). The RFAT group also showed increased portal LPS compared with the PRO group(P < 0.05). Unweighted Uni Frac principal coordinates analysis of the sequencing data revealed that the intestinal microbiota structures of the CON, FFAT, RSUG and PRO groups were roughly separated away from each other. Taxon-based analysis showed that, compared with the CON group, the FFAT group had an increased abundance of Firmicutes, Roseburia and Oscillospira bacteria, a higher ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, and a decreased abundance of Bacteroidetes, Bacteroides and Parabacteroides bacteria(P < 0.05). The RFAT group showed an increased abundance of Firmicutes and decreased abundance of Parabacteroides bacteria(P < 0.05). The RSUG group showed an increased abundance of Bacteroidetes and Sutterella bacteria, higher ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes, and a decreased abundance of Firmicutes(P < 0.05). The PRO group showed an increased abundance of Bacteroidetes, Prevotella, Oscillospira and Sutterella bacteria, and a decreased abundance of Firmicutes(P < 0.05). Compared with the FFAT group, the RFAT group had an increased abundance of Bacteroidetes, higher ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes, and decreased abundance of Firmicutes and Oscillospira bacteria(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION Compared with the high-protein diet, the NAFLDinducing effects of high-fat and high-sugar diets are independent from calories, and may be associated with changed intestinal microbiota.

Dietary manipulation and testosterone replacement therapy may explain changes in body composition after spinal cord injury: A retrospective case report

BACKGROUND Reduced level of physical activity,high-fat diet and skeletal muscle atrophy are key factors that are likely to contribute to deleterious changes in body composition and metabolic following spinal cord injury (SCI).Reduced caloric intake with lowering percentage macronutrients of fat and increasing protein intake may likely to improve body composition parameters and decrease ectopic adiposity after SCI.AIM To highlight the effects of dietary manipulation and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on body composition after SCI METHODS A 31-year-old male with T5 SCI was administered transdermal TRT daily for 16 wk.Caloric intake and percentage macronutrients were analyzed using dietary recalls.Magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry were used to measure changes in body composition.RESULTS Caloric intake and fat percentage were reduced by 445 kcal/d and 6.5%,respectively.Total body weight decreased by 8%,body fat decreased by 29%,and lean mass increased by 7%.Thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue cross-sectional area was reduced by 31%.CONCLUSION Manipulation of caloric intake,fat percentage,and protein percentage may have influenced body composition after SCI.

Low-carbohydrate diets lead to greater weight loss and better glucose homeostasis than exercise: a randomized clinical trial

Lifestyle interventions,including dietary adjustments and exercise,are important for obesity management.This study enrolled adults with overweight or obesity to explore whether either low-carbohydrate diet(LCD)or exercise is more effective in metabolism improvement.Forty-five eligible subjects were randomly divided into an LCD group(n=22)and an exercise group(EX,n=23).The subjects either adopted LCD(carbohydrate intake<50 g/day)or performed moderate-to-vigorous exercise(≥30 min/day)for 3 weeks.After the interventions,LCD led to a larger weight loss than EX(−3.56±0.37 kg vs.−1.24±0.39 kg,P<0.001),as well as a larger reduction in fat mass(−2.10±0.18 kg vs.−1.25±0.24 kg,P=0.007)and waist circumference(−5.25±0.52 cm vs.−3.45±0.38 cm,P=0.008).Both interventions reduced visceral and subcutaneous fat and improved liver steatosis and insulin resistance.Triglycerides decreased in both two groups,whereas low-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased in the LCD group but decreased in the EX group.Various glycemic parameters,including serum glycated albumin,mean sensor glucose,coefficient of variability(CV),and largest amplitude of glycemic excursions,substantially declined in the LCD group.Only CV slightly decreased after exercise.This pilot study suggested that the effects of LCD and exercise are similar in alleviating liver steatosis and insulin resistance.Compared with exercise,LCD might be more efficient for weight loss and glucose homeostasis in people with obesity.

An alternative model for fetal loss disorders associated with mare reproductive loss syndrome

Fertile chicken eggs were used as an alternative model for large animals to evaluate suspect toxic dietary ingredients for fetal loss disorders associated with mare reproductive loss syndrome(MRLS) and fetal losses in other livestock.Nitrate,ammonia,and sulfate may react with proteinaceous compounds to enable the formation of abiotic pathogenic nanoparticles which were constant findings in pathognomonic placental lesions associated with non-infectious fetal losses of previously unknown etiology in mares,chickens and other livestock.The pathogenic nanoparticles may be produced naturally by toxic elements associated with air pollution that affect pasture forages or crops,uninte ntionally by reactions of these elements in protein-mineral mixes in dietary rations,or endogenously within tissues of fetuses and adult animals.The nanoparticles may form niduses in small vessels and predispose animals to a host of secondary opportunistic diseases affecting the reproductive,respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts of animals.The newly recognized abiotic pathogenic micro and nanoparticles are associated with MRLS.The discovery of the pathogenic nanoparticles led to the identification of nitrate,ammonium,and sulfur,in the form of sulfate,that seemingly enable the formation of the pathogenic nanoparticles in embryonic and fetal tissues.