Open AccessPinealectomy increases thermogenesis and decreases lipogenesis
Author(s) -
Mi-Kyung Kim,
So Min Lee,
Jeeyoun Jung,
Yun Jin Kim,
Kyo Chul Moon,
Ji Hae Seo,
Tae Kyung Ha,
Eunyoung Ha
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
molecular medicine reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.727
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1791-3004
pISSN - 1791-2997
DOI - 10.3892/mmr.2020.11534
Subject(s) - pinealectomy , medicine , endocrinology , lipogenesis , thermogenesis , biology , white adipose tissue , melatonin , leptin , brown adipose tissue , oncogene , melatonin receptor , adipose tissue , pineal gland , obesity , cell cycle , cancer
The present study was designed to determine the effects of pineal gland‑derived melatonin on obesity by employing a rat pinealectomy (Pnx) model. After 10 weeks of a high‑fat diet, rats received sham or Pnx surgery followed by a normal chow diet for 10 weeks. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, western blotting analysis, immunohistochemistry and ELISA were used to determine the effects of Pnx. Pnx decreased the expression of melatonin receptor (MTNR)1A and MTNR1B, in brown adipose tissues (BAT) and white adipose tissues (WAT). Pnx rats showed increased insulin sensitivity compared with those that received sham surgery. Leptin levels were significantly decreased in the serum of the Pnx group. In addition, Pnx stimulated thermogenic genes in BAT and attenuated lipogenic genes in both WAT and the liver. Histological analyses revealed a marked decrease in the size of lipid droplets and increased expression of uncoupling protein 1 in BAT. In the liver of the Pnx group, the size and number of lipid droplets had also decreased. In conclusion, the results presented in the current study suggested that Pnx increases thermogenesis in BAT and decreases lipogenesis in WAT and the liver.