Protection from obesity in mice lacking the VLDL receptor.
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| Abstract |
It has previously been reported that mice lacking the VLDL receptor (VLDLR-/-) exhibit normal plasma lipid levels and a modest decrease in adipose tissue mass. In the present study, the effect of VLDLR deficiency on profound weight gain was studied in mice. Obesity was induced either by feeding of a high-fat, high-calorie (HFC) diet or by crossbreeding mice onto the genetically obese ob/ob background. After 17 weeks of HFC feeding, VLDLR-/- mice remained lean, whereas their wild-type littermates (VLDLR+/+) became obese. Similarly, the weight gain of ob/ob mice was less profound in the absence of the VLDLR. Moreover, VLDLR deficiency led to increased plasma triglycerides after HFC feeding. The protection from obesity in VLDLR-/- mice involved decreased peripheral uptake of fatty acids, because VLDLR-/- mice exhibited a significant reduction in whole-body free fatty acid uptake, with no clear differences in food intake and fat absorption. These observations were supported by a strong decrease in average adipocyte size in VLDLR-/- mice of both obesity models, implying reduced adipocyte triglyceride storage in the absence of the VLDLR. These results suggest that the VLDLR plays a role in the delivery of VLDL-derived fatty acids into adipose tissue.
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| Authors | J R Goudriaan, P J Tacken, V E Dahlmans, M J Gijbels, K W van Dijk, L M Havekes, M C Jong |
| Journal | Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol) Vol. 21 Issue 9 Pg. 1488-93 (Sep 2001) ISSN: 1524-4636 [Electronic] United States |
| PMID | 11557677 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't) |
| Chemical References |
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