BDNF levels in adipose tissue and hypothalamus were reduced in mice with MSG-induced obesity

Abstract

Objectives: To observe the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in hypothalamic and adipose tissue in mice with monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obesity.

Methods: The effects of hypothalamic lesions, specifically arcuate nucleus (ARC) lesions, induced by MSG injection were studied in male ICR mice at the neonatal stage. The following parameters were compared: body weight, body length, Lee's index, food intake, body temperature, fat weight, and levels of total cholesterol (CHOL), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and blood glucose (GLU). The BDNF expression levels in hypothalamic and adipose tissue were measured using western blotting.

Results: Compared with the control group, the model group body had significantly higher weight, Lee's index, food intake, fat weight, CHOL, TG, LDL, HDL, and GLU levels. BDNF expression levels in hypothalamic and adipose tissue were markedly down-regulated in the model group.

Discussion: BDNF may be closely associated with MSG-induced hypothalamic obesity.

Keywords:

• Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
• Hypothalamic obesity
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• mouse model

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a Young Scientist grant (BS2010YY002) from the Scientific Research Foundation of Shandong Province and grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30660070) and the Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (ZR2012HM057).

Disclaimer statements

Contributors

Y.J.J. and P.J.C. contributed equally to this work.

Funding

None.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflict of interest.

Ethics approval

All procedures were in accordance with the National Institute of Health and Nutrition Guidelines for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals in China.