• Mariana Alejandra Rosas Fernández, Carlos Marcelo Concha Vilca, Leandro Oliveira Batista, Viviane Wagner Ramos, Leonardo Paes Cinelli, and Kelse Tibau de Albuquerque.
• Programa de Pós-Graduação em Produtos Bioativos e Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• Nutrition. 2018 Apr 1; 48: 122-126.

ObjectiveWe investigated the effect of intermittent food restriction (IFR) cycles on hypothalamic expression of lipogenic proteins and induction of overeating.MethodsFemale Wistar rats were distributed in three groups: free access to feed (control, C), 2 d feed restriction at 50% of C intake followed by 3 d (restricted 3, R3) or 5 d (restricted 5, R5) ad libitum feeding. After 6 wk, the rats were submitted to euthanasia and collected the hypothalamus and blood. The deposits of retroperitoneal, mesenteric, and gonadal fat were weighed. The expression of the mRNA for sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) 1c and 2 and acetyl-CoA carboxylase in the hypothalamus were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and glucose and triacylglycerol were evaluated by a commercial kit. Body mass and food intake were measured daily.ResultsIFR promoted increased expression of SREBP-2 in both treated groups and, in R5, increased expression of SREBP-1c. The serum triacylglycerol, mesenteric deposit, and total fat content were higher in R3. Neither of the treatment intervals altered the expression of the mRNA of acetyl-CoA carboxylase enzyme but induced hyperglycemia and higher food intake immediately after food restriction.ConclusionIFR affected the expression of SREBP-1c in R5 and SREBP-2 in the hypothalamus and caused overeating immediately after fasting in both groups. We suggest that hypothalamic and peripheral alterations, coupled with compulsive eating behavior in the ad libitum period, indicate risks for diabetes mellitus and recovery of body mass after interruption of IFR.Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

25 keywords...

hide…