Nutr Res Pract.  2010 Dec;4(6):477-485.

Changes in lipid and carnitine concentrations following repeated fasting-refeeding in mice

• Kang SW
• Ahn EM
• Cha YS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of repeated fasting and refeeding on lipid metabolism. Thirty male ICR mice, aged 6 weeks, were fed an AIN-93 control diet during the experimental period. The mice were divided into 5 groups: Non fasting group (ad libitum-fed, NF), fasting for 3 days (F), fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated once (FRF1), fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated twice (FRF2), and fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated three times (FRF3). Rates of body weight gain, epididymal fat weight, and serum TG were significantly decreased in the F, FRF1, FRF2, and FRF3 groups, compared to the NF group. LDL-cholesterol was significantly higher in the FRF3 group than the NF and F groups, but HDL-cholesterol and HDL/TC were significantly lower in the FRF3 group than in the NF and F groups. Serum total carnitine was significantly lower in the FRF1, FRF2, FRF3 groups than the NF and F groups. However, rates of serum and hepatic acyl-carnitine concentration were significantly lower in FRF1, FRF2, and FRF3 than in NF and F. Repeated fasting-refeeding resulted in visible reductions of body weight and fat mass, but it caused ill-effects with lipid and carnitine metabolism in the body.

Keyword

Obesity; body fat; repeated fasting-refeeding; carnitine; lipid profile

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue
Aged
Animals
Body Weight
Carnitine
Diet
Fasting
Humans
Lipid Metabolism
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred ICR
Obesity
Carnitine

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Experimental design

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  Fig. 2 Experimental design 2. NF; non fasting, F; fasting for 3 days, FRF1; fasting for 3 days & refeeding (4 days) repeated once, FRF2; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated twice, FRF3; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated three times

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  Fig. 3 Body weights changes ofin mice during the entire experimental period. NF; non fasting, F; fasting for 3days, FRF1; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated once, FRF2; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated twice, FRF3; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated three times.

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  Fig. 4 Body weights of mice. Mean ± SD of 6 mice per group. Indicates significantly different at *(P < 0.05), ***(P < 0.001) by Student's t-test NF; non fasting, F; fasting for 3days, FRF1; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated once, FRF2; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated twice, FRF3; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated three times.

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  Fig. 5 Serum lipid concentrations in mice. Mean ± SD of 6 mice per group. Values with different superscripts are significantly different by ANOVA with Duncan's multiple range test at P < 0.05. NF; non fasting, F; fasting for 3 days, FRF1; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated once, FRF2; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated twice, FRF3; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated three times.

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  Fig. 6 Hepatic lipid concentrations in mice. Mean ± SD of 6 mice per group. Values with different superscripts are significantly different by ANOVA with Duncan's multiple range test at P < 0.05. NF; non fasting, F; fasting for 3 days, FRF1; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated once, FRF2; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated twice, FRF3; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated three times.

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  Fig. 7 Serum carnitine concentrations in mice. Mean ± SD of 6 mice per group. Values with different superscripts are significantly different by ANOVA with Duncan's multiple range test at P < 0.05. NF; non fasting, F; fasting for 3 days, FRF1; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated once, FRF2; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated twice, FRF3; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated three times. NEC; nonesterified carnitine, ASAC; acid-soluble acylcarnitine, AIAC; acid-insoluble acylcarnitine, TCNE: total carnitine, Acyl/Free; (ASAC+AIAC)/NEC

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  Fig. 8 Hepatic carnitine concentrations in mice. Mean ± SD of 6 mice per group. Values with different superscripts are significantly different by ANOVA with Duncan's multiple range test at P < 0.05. NF; non fasting, F; fasting for 3 days, FRF1; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding pfor 4 days repeated once, FRF2; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated twice, FRF3; fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated three times. NEC; nonesterified carnitine, ASAC; acid-soluble acylcarnitine, AIAC; acid-insoluble acylcarnitine, TCNE: total carnitine, Acyl/Free; (ASAC+AIAC)/NEC

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