Taurine supplementation associated with exercise increases mitochondrial activity and fatty acid oxidation gene expression in the subcutaneous white adipose tissue of obese women

Flavia Giolo De Carvalho; Camila Fernanda Cunha Brandao; Gabriela Batitucci; Anderson de Oliveira Souza; Gustavo Duarte Ferrari; Luciane Carla Alberici; Vitor Rosetto Muñoz; José Rodrigo Pauli; Leandro Pereira De Moura; Eduardo Rochete Ropelle; Adelino Sanchez Ramos da Silva; Marcia Varella Morandi Junqueira-Franco; Julio Sergio Marchini; Ellen Cristini de Freitas

doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2020.09.044

Taurine supplementation associated with exercise increases mitochondrial activity and fatty acid oxidation gene expression in the subcutaneous white adipose tissue of obese women

Clin Nutr. 2021 Apr;40(4):2180-2187. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2020.09.044. Epub 2020 Oct 5.

Authors

Flavia Giolo De Carvalho¹, Camila Fernanda Cunha Brandao², Gabriela Batitucci³, Anderson de Oliveira Souza⁴, Gustavo Duarte Ferrari⁴, Luciane Carla Alberici⁴, Vitor Rosetto Muñoz⁵, José Rodrigo Pauli⁵, Leandro Pereira De Moura⁵, Eduardo Rochete Ropelle⁵, Adelino Sanchez Ramos da Silva¹, Marcia Varella Morandi Junqueira-Franco⁶, Julio Sergio Marchini⁶, Ellen Cristini de Freitas⁷

Affiliations

¹ School of Physical Education and Sport of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo -EEFERP USP, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
² Internal Medicine Department, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo - FMRP USP, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil; State University of Minas Gerais - UEMG, Divinopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
³ Department of Food and Nutrition, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Araraquara, State University of Sao Paulo - FCF UNESP, Araraquara, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo - FCFRP USP, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
⁵ Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Exercise, University of Campinas - FCA UNICAMP, Limeira, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
⁶ Internal Medicine Department, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo - FMRP USP, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
⁷ School of Physical Education and Sport of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo -EEFERP USP, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Department of Food and Nutrition, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Araraquara, State University of Sao Paulo - FCF UNESP, Araraquara, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: ellenfreitas@usp.br.

PMID: 33051044
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2020.09.044

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of taurine supplementation associated or not with chronic exercise on body composition, mitochondrial function, and expression of genes related to mitochondrial activity and lipid oxidation in the subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT) of obese women.

Methods: A randomized and double-blind trial was developed with 24 obese women (BMI 33.1 ± 2.9 kg/m², 32.9 ± 6.3 y) randomized into three groups: Taurine supplementation group (Tau, n = 8); Exercise group (Ex, n = 8); Taurine supplementation + exercise group (TauEx, n = 8). The intervention was composed of 3 g of taurine or placebo supplementation and exercise training for eight weeks. Anthropometry, body fat composition, indirect calorimetry, scWAT biopsy for mitochondrial respiration, and gene expression related to mitochondrial activity and lipid oxidation were assessed before and after the intervention.

Results: No changes were observed for the anthropometric characteristics. The Ex group presented an increased resting energy expenditure rate, and the TauEx and Ex groups presented increased lipid oxidation and a decreased respiratory quotient. Both trained groups (TauEx and Ex) demonstrated improved scWAT mitochondrial respiratory capacity. Regarding mitochondrial markers, no changes were observed for the Tau group. The TauEx group had higher expression of CIDEA, PGC1a, PRDM16, UCP1, and UCP2. The genes related to fat oxidation (ACO2 and ACOX1) were increased in the Tau and Ex groups, while only the TauEx group presented increased expression of CPT1, PPARa, PPARγ, LPL, ACO1, ACO2, HSL, ACOX1, and CD36 genes.

Conclusion: Taurine supplementation associated with exercise improved lipid metabolism through the modulation of genes related to mitochondrial activity and fatty acid oxidation, suggesting a browning effect in the scWAT of obese women.

Keywords: Exercise; Mitochondrial metabolism; Taurine; White adipose tissue.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adipose Tissue, White / metabolism*
Adult
Body Composition / drug effects
Dietary Supplements
Double-Blind Method
Energy Metabolism / drug effects
Exercise*
Fatty Acids / metabolism*
Female
Gene Expression
Humans
Lipid Peroxidation / genetics
Mitochondria / drug effects
Mitochondria / genetics
Mitochondria / metabolism*
Obesity / metabolism*
Oxidation-Reduction / drug effects
Placebos
Subcutaneous Fat
Taurine / administration & dosage*

Substances

Fatty Acids
Placebos
Taurine