Effects of High-fat Diet and Exercise on Branched-Chain Amino acids Metabolism in Swiss Mice.

• Grant number: 17/11383-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2018
• End date: August 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Gabarra de Oliveira
• Grantee: Alexandre Gabarra de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Since the discovery of TNF-a expression by adipocytes, was a great advance in the field that evidenced the importance of inflammation in the insulin resistance (IR) development. However, this mechanism cannot account for all IR cases. In this context, recent studies have pointed an important correlation between plasma concentrations of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and IR. Evidences suggest that this increase may result in mitochondrial dysfunction. What is probably related to reductions in the expression and / or activity of key enzymes of BCAA metabolism, the BCAA aminotransferase mitochondrial (BCATm) and branched chain ±-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKD). In parallel, the physical exercise has been highlighted since it improves insulin sensitivity without significant side effects. In addition, when practiced chronically, the exercise can promote mitochondrial biogenesis, thus some may speculates that it also promotes increases in the expression of BCAA metabolism enzymes. Therefore, this project will investigate the influence of high-fat diet and physical exercise on the modulation of BCAA metabolism in the context of obesity assessing if these changes have significant role in the beneficial effects of this therapy on the IR in mice. (AU)