Effect of green tea extract rich in epigalocatechin-galate intake on citokines and metabolic regulators in adipose tissue and esqueletic muscle in obese mice induced by hyperlilipidic diet

Abstract

Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ involved in the genesis of metabolic disorders present in obesity, such as subclinical inflammation and insulin resistance, partially by releasing factors, the adipokines, which trigger a series of adaptive mechanisms to obesity and eventually cause these disorders. Similar to adipose tissue, skeletal muscle also produce substances involved in the regulation of metabolic processes, the myokines, and it has been suggested that there is a cross-talk between these two tissues in the metabolic regulation. Furthermore, it has been showed various signaling molecules involved in cellular energy homeostasis. Parallel to this, has been widely studied the protective role of food bioactive compounds to health, like phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids and catechins, being green tea a source of the latter. Several studies have shown a protective and therapeutic effect of green tea in obesity, and the epigallocatechin-3-gallate is the major compound responsible for these effects. However, few studies have investigated the molecular mechanisms involved, and whether there is an association between green tea consumption and the expression of adipokines, myokines and cell signaling molecules, thus promoting the regulation of metabolism, which could elucidate the role of green tea as a possible therapeutic agent in obesity. Thus, this project proposes to investigate the effect of a green tea extract rich in epigallocatechin-3-gallate on the expression of inflammatory and metabolic mediators in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of obese animals. (AU)