Effects of portacaval shunt on the genetically obese Zucker Rat.

Nov 1, 1981Gastroenterology

Effects of a surgical connection between liver and vein on genetically obese Zucker rats

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Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗

Abstract

Fasting serum levels of triacylglycerol decreased by 70% and cholesterol by 43% in obese Zucker rats after a portacaval shunt.

The portacaval shunt resulted in a significant increase of 68% in plasma total glucagon levels three weeks post-operation.
Four weeks after the shunt, serum protein levels were reduced by 22%, while pancreatic glucagon levels doubled.
Despite the changes in glucagon and serum protein, hyperinsulinemia remained unaffected.
Liver weight and its content in DNA, RNA, protein, and glycogen were significantly decreased, with reductions of up to 60%.
Incorporation of a tracer into liver fatty acids was 76% lower and into liver cholesterol was 43% lower compared to controls.

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Male adult obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats with high hypertriglyceridemia and hyperinsulinemia, and mild hypercholesterolemia were submitted to a portacaval shunt in order to examine the effects of this shunt on blood lipids and lipid synthesis. Sham-operated pair-fed obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats, obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats fed ad libitum, and lean (Fa/?) littermates fed ad libitum served as controls. In fa/fa rats 3 wk after portacaval shunt, fasting serum values of triacylglycerol (-70%) and cholesterol (-43%) were lower and plasma total glucagon was higher (+68%) than in pair-fed sham-operated fa/fa controls. In the same rats 4 wk after portacaval shunt and while fed ad libitum, serum protein was reduced by 22%, plasma pancreatic glucagon was 100% higher, and the hyperinsulinema was not modified. At that time, the wet weight of the liver and its total content in DNA, RNA, protein, and glycogen was decreased by 43%, 22%, 34%, 39%, and 60%, respectively. The in vivo incorporation of 3H2O into liver fatty acids was 76% lower and that into liver cholesterol eas 43% lower, per total organ, while the labeling of glyceride fatty acids was not modified in epididymal adipose tissue when compared with pair-fed fa/fa Zucker rats. In conclusion, portacaval shunting lowered blood triacylglycerol and cholesterol levels in fa/fa rats, and this was due, at least partially, to reduction in hepatic lipogenesis and cholesterologenesis.

Effects of portacaval shunt on the genetically obese Zucker Rat.

Abstract

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