Effects of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf ingestion on gene expression of peripheral whole blood [QvsM]

In the animal study, both a decrease of serum alanine aminotransferase level and whole blood gene expression changes were observed in rats fed a MLP-containing high-fat diet compared with rats fed a high-fat diet. Male Wistar rats (7 weeks old) were purchased from Japan SLC, Inc. (Shizuoka, Japan) and housed in a room that was maintained at 21 ± 1°C and 50 ± 10% relative humidity with a 12-h light/dark cycle (light 08:00–20:00; dark 20:00–08:00). The rats were preliminary given a normal diet (CE-2, CLEA Japan, Kanagawa, Japan) for acclimation. After a week of acclimation, the rats were divided into three groups (n=10 each) and fed for 8 weeks on a high-fat diet (Quick fat, CLEA Japan, Kanagawa, Japan), a high-fat diet plus 1% mulberry leaf powder, or a normal diet. Mulberry leaf powder was obtained from Sagamihara chamber of commerce and industry (Kanagawa, Japan). The rats were given a specific diet and water for 24 h ad libitum. On day 56 after overnight fasting, the animals were euthanized under anesthesia to collect their blood.

本动物研究显示，与饲喂普通高脂饲料的大鼠相比，饲喂含MLP（mulberry leaf powder）高脂饲料的大鼠可观察到血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶（serum alanine aminotransferase）水平降低以及全血基因表达发生改变。实验选用7周龄雄性Wistar大鼠，购自日本SLC公司（日本静冈县），饲养于温度控制在21±1℃、相对湿度50±10%且采用12小时明暗循环（光照时段08:00–20:00，黑暗时段20:00–08:00）的动物房内。实验开始前，大鼠先饲喂普通维持饲料（CE-2，日本神奈川县CLEA日本公司），开展为期1周的适应性驯化。适应性饲养1周后，将大鼠随机分为3组（每组10只），分别饲喂高脂饲料（Quick fat，日本神奈川县CLEA日本公司）、添加1%桑叶粉的高脂饲料以及普通维持饲料，连续饲喂8周。本实验所用桑叶粉购自日本神奈川县相模原市工商会议所。实验期间大鼠可全天自由采食指定饲料并自由饮水。饲养至第56天时，大鼠经一夜禁食后，在麻醉状态下实施安乐死并采集血液样本。