The Antisteatotic and Hypolipidemic Effect of Insect Meal in Obese Zucker Rats is Accompanied by Profound Changes in Hepatic Phospholipid and 1-Carbon Metabolism.

SCOPE: The hypothesis was tested that insect meal, which has a low methionine content, reduces the hepatic phosphatidylcholine (PC):phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) ratio, which is a critical determinant of hepatic lipid synthesis, by decreasing availability of the methionine metabolite S-adenosylmethionine (SAM).

METHODS AND RESULTS: Obese rats (n = 24) were randomly divided into two groups (OC, OI) of 12 rats each. In addition, lean rats (n = 12) were used as control group (LC). Groups LC and OC received a control diet with casein as protein source, whereas in the OI group casein was replaced isonitrogenously by insect meal, which was found to be less digestible (-12 % units). Plasma and liver concentrations of lipids and hepatic expression of lipid synthesizing genes were reduced in the OI group compared to the OC group. Plasma and liver concentration of PC and the PC:PE ratio were decreased in the OI group compared to the OC group, while hepatic concentration of SAM and the hepatic SAM:S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) ratio was lower in the OI group than in the OC group.

CONCLUSION: The decrease of the hepatic PC:PE ratio is probably a key mechanism explaining the pronounced antisteatotic and hypolipidemic action of insect meal in obese rats. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.