Methionine-restricted C57BL/6J mice are resistant to diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance but have low bone density

PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e51357. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051357. Epub 2012 Dec 7.

Abstract

Dietary methionine restriction (MR) extends lifespan, an effect associated with reduction of body weight gain, and improvement of insulin sensitivity in mice and rats as a result of metabolic adaptations in liver, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. To test whether MR confers resistance to adiposity and insulin resistance, C57BL/6J mice were fed a high fat diet (HFD) containing either 0.86% methionine (control fed; CF) or 0.12% methionine (methionine-restricted; MR). MR mice on HFD had lower body weight gain despite increased food intake and absorption efficiency compared to their CF counterparts. MR mice on HFD were more glucose tolerant and insulin sensitive with reduced accumulation of hepatic triglycerides. In plasma, MR mice on HFD had higher levels of adiponectin and FGF21 while leptin and IGF-1 levels were reduced. Hepatic gene expression showed the downregulation of Scd1 while Pparg, Atgl, Cd36, Jak2 and Fgf21 were upregulated in MR mice on HFD. Restriction of growth rate in MR mice on HFD was also associated with lower bone mass and increased plasma levels of the collagen degradation marker C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX-1). It is concluded that MR mice on HFD are metabolically healthy compared to CF mice on HFD but have decreased bone mass. These effects could be associated with the observed increase in FGF21 levels.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adiponectin / blood
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Bone Density / drug effects
  • Bone Density / physiology*
  • Collagen Type I / metabolism
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Disease Resistance / drug effects
  • Disease Resistance / physiology*
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors / blood
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Histological Techniques
  • Insulin Resistance / physiology*
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
  • Leptin / blood
  • Methionine / deficiency*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Obesity / etiology*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Rotarod Performance Test

Substances

  • Adiponectin
  • Collagen Type I
  • DNA Primers
  • Leptin
  • fibroblast growth factor 21
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
  • Methionine

Grants and funding

Funding provided by the Orentreich Foundation for the Advancement of Science. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.