Chapter 30
Mouse Models to Study Antiobesogenic Effects
of Carotenoids
Joan Ribot, Bojan Stojnic, Andreu Palou, and M. Luisa Bonet
Abstract
Carotenoids entail a vast potential to tackle health problems including obesity and some of its comorbidities. The use of animal models remains necessary, particularly at early stages of research (preclinical) and for
advancing in mechanistic aspects of carotenoid action. No single animal model completely mimics human
absorption and metabolism of carotenoids, and the best model must be chosen considering the specific
application, characteristics of the individual models, and funding and facilities available. Here, we propose
three protocols in mice to investigate the potential of a given carotenoid, carotenoid mixture, or
carotenoid-rich extract to (a) counteract the development of obesity and prevent the metabolic alterations
caused by feeding mice a moderate high-fat diet; (b) improve the metabolic profile of obese animals with
metabolic alterations caused by chronic high-fat diet feeding; and (c) act as coadjuvants in weight loss
strategies (reversion to a low fat diet) applied to diet-induced obese animals.
Key words Animal models, Obesity, Metabolic syndrome, Carotenoids
1 Introduction
Obesity is defined as the presence of excess body fat and is ultimately caused by a chronic energy imbalance whereby energy intake
exceeds energy expenditure [1]. Its prevalence is increasing worldwide in not only industrialized but also developing and transition
countries, and nearly three million deaths each year are obesity
related [2]. This is thought to be mainly due to changes in the
dietary patterns of the world population toward diets richer in
calories from fats and sugars, together with physical inactivity
[3]. The obesity pandemic has drawn much attention and concern
since obesity is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome, a cluster of metabolic derangements characterized by central (visceral) obesity, insulin resistance,
dyslipidemia, increased blood pressure, and nonalcoholic fatty liver
disease (NAFLD) [4, 5].
Manuel Rodrı ´guez-Concepcio ´ n and Ralf Welsch (eds.), Plant and Food Carotenoids: Methods and Protocols,
Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2083, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9952-1_30,
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
403
Mouse Models to Study Antiobesogenic Effects
of Carotenoids
Joan Ribot, Bojan Stojnic, Andreu Palou, and M. Luisa Bonet
Abstract
Carotenoids entail a vast potential to tackle health problems including obesity and some of its comorbidities. The use of animal models remains necessary, particularly at early stages of research (preclinical) and for
advancing in mechanistic aspects of carotenoid action. No single animal model completely mimics human
absorption and metabolism of carotenoids, and the best model must be chosen considering the specific
application, characteristics of the individual models, and funding and facilities available. Here, we propose
three protocols in mice to investigate the potential of a given carotenoid, carotenoid mixture, or
carotenoid-rich extract to (a) counteract the development of obesity and prevent the metabolic alterations
caused by feeding mice a moderate high-fat diet; (b) improve the metabolic profile of obese animals with
metabolic alterations caused by chronic high-fat diet feeding; and (c) act as coadjuvants in weight loss
strategies (reversion to a low fat diet) applied to diet-induced obese animals.
Key words Animal models, Obesity, Metabolic syndrome, Carotenoids
1 Introduction
Obesity is defined as the presence of excess body fat and is ultimately caused by a chronic energy imbalance whereby energy intake
exceeds energy expenditure [1]. Its prevalence is increasing worldwide in not only industrialized but also developing and transition
countries, and nearly three million deaths each year are obesity
related [2]. This is thought to be mainly due to changes in the
dietary patterns of the world population toward diets richer in
calories from fats and sugars, together with physical inactivity
[3]. The obesity pandemic has drawn much attention and concern
since obesity is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome, a cluster of metabolic derangements characterized by central (visceral) obesity, insulin resistance,
dyslipidemia, increased blood pressure, and nonalcoholic fatty liver
disease (NAFLD) [4, 5].
Manuel Rodrı ´guez-Concepcio ´ n and Ralf Welsch (eds.), Plant and Food Carotenoids: Methods and Protocols,
Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2083, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9952-1_30,
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
403