Obesity and insulin resistance due to chronic low salt intake in Wistar rats: effects on energy balance, renin angiotensin system (RAS) and insulin signaling.

Author(s)

Michella Soares Coelho Araújo

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI)
• Defense date: 2005-12-09

Examining board members

Joel Claudio Heimann; Maria Luiza Morais Barreto de Chaves; Rita de Cassia Aleixo Tostes Passaglia; Mario Jose Abdalla Saad; Helio Cesar Salgado

• Advisor: Joel Claudio Heimann

Abstract

Restriction of sodium chloride intake has been associated with insulin resistance (INS-R) and obesity. The molecular mechanisms by which the low salt diet (LSD) can induce INS-R and obesity have not yet been established.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influences of salt intake on body weight (BW) and on insulin signaling in liver, muscle and white adipose tissue (WAT). Wistar rats were fed a LSD, normal (NSD), or high (HSD) salt diet since weaning. At 12 weeks of age, BW, blood pressure(BP),energy balance, food intake, plasma glucose and angiotesin II (ANGIO II), and hormonal profile were evaluated. Afterward, motor activity, HOMA index, uncoupling protein 1 expression (UCP-1) and tissue adipose ANGIO II content was determined. The early steps of insulin signaling (IR: insulin receptor, IRS-1 and IRS-2: IR substrate 1 and 2, PI-3K: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase), Akt (protein kinase B) phosphorylation, JNK (c-jun NH2-terminal kinase) activation and IRS-1ser307 (serine 307 of IRS-1) phosphorylation were evaluated by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting. LSD increased BW, visceral adiposity, blood glucose, insulin, leptin, plasma ANGIO II and its content in BAT. Otherwise, LSD decreased food intake, energy expenditure, UCP-1 expression, adiponectin and ANGIO II content in WAT. Motor activity was not influenced by the dietary salt content. In LSD, a decreasing in IR/PI-3K/Akt/Foxo1 was observed in liver and muscle and an increase in this pathway was showed in adipose tissue. JNK activity and IRS-1ser307 phosphorylation were higher in liver and muscle. In conclusion, LSD induced obesity and insulin resistance due to changes in energy expenditure, SRA and insulin signaling. The INS-R is tissuespecific and is accompanied by JNK activation and IRS-1ser307 phosphorylation. (AU)