Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo effects of pravastatin on the development of obesity and diabetes in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice.
Methods and procedures: We examined food intake, body-weight changes, visceral white adipose tissue (WAT) adiponectin and resistin levels, and energy metabolism.
Results: Treatment with 100 mg/kg/day pravastatin for 28 days decreased diet-induced weight gain and visceral adiposity. In addition, the weight of the WAT, the triglyceride (TG) contents of the liver and muscles, and the levels of serum insulin improved in the pravastatin-treated DIO mice. Furthermore, pravastatin treatment changed the WAT adiponectin and resistin mRNA expression and serum levels compared with the controls. Finally, pravastatin treatment increased oxygen consumption and decreased the respiratory quotient (RQ).
Discussion: Pravastatin treatment prevents the development of obesity and diabetes in DIO mice. The prevention of obesity may be mediated by increased oxygen consumption and a decrease in the RQ. These results provide novel insights into the use of pravastatin as a therapeutic tool for metabolic syndromes.