Dietary intake of antioxidant curcumin reduces eIF2 phosphorylation and diacylglycerol and glycerolipid contents in white adipose tissue of obese mice. Mus musculus

To elucidate the bioactive property of the dietary antioxidant curcumin, we examined tissue distribution and the gene expression- and lipidomic-profiles in epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) of the diet-induced obese mice. Dietary intake of curcumin (0.1% W/W) didn’t affect the eWAT weight and the plasma lipid levels but reduced the levels of lipid peroxidation marker in eWAT. Curcumin was a slightly accumulated in eWAT and altered the gene expression associated with eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (EIF2) signaling. Curcumin suppressed the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related eIF2 phospholyration, the accumulation of macrophages and the expression of oxidative stress-sensitive transcription factor NF-κB p65 and leptin, whereas anti-inflammatory effect wasn’t enough to reduce the TNF-α and IFN-γ levels. Lipidomic- and gene expression analysis suggests that curcumin reduced the contents of some diacylglyverols (DAGs) and DAG derived glycerophospholipids by suppressing the expressions of lipogenesis-related glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 1 and lipolysis-related adipose triglyceride lipase. Overall design: 6-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were fed AIN93G diet or Wesern diet [39.9% of energy from fat (20% unsalted butter, 1% soy oil, 0.15% cholesterol) and 34.0% of energy from sucrose] or Western diet containing 0.1% curcumin for 16 weeks.