Comparison of low-fat and high-fat diet on gene expression in muscle, liver and adipose tissue from mice of two genetic backgrounds. Comparison of low-fat and high-fat diet on gene expression in muscle, liver and adipose tissue from mice of two genetic backgrounds

Diet-induced obesity is the primary determinant of the current epidemic of diabetes. We have explored the role of genetics in this phenomenon, using C57Bl/6 (B6) and 129S6/SvEvTac (129) mice on a low- or high-fat diet. Microarray analysis indicated significant changes in expression levels between B6 and 129 mice in the chromosomal area of Wnt5a and protein kinase C delta (PKC-delta). Thus, caloric efficiency, i.e., the “thrifty gene,” is a dominant-acting genetic determinant of diet-induced obesity in mice and can be linked to a locus on chromosome 14, including genes linked to adipose development and insulin sensitivity. Overall design: Skeletal muscle, liver, and epididymal fat pads were removed from B6 and 129 mice at the age of 6 months after the mice were maintained on a standard diet that contained 21% of calories from fat, 22% from protein, and 57% from carbohydrates. A total of 25 ug RNA pooled from two to three mice was used for cRNA synthesis and hybridization on Affymetrix microarray chips.