Nutrition research
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Animal models of type 2 diabetes exhibit reduced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, which are associated with decreased oxidative capacity, in skeletal muscles. In contrast, animal models with metabolic syndrome show normal PGC-1α mRNA levels. We hypothesized that a high-fat diet decreases PGC-1α mRNA levels in skeletal muscles of rats with metabolic syndrome, reducing muscle oxidative capacity and accelerating metabolic syndrome or inducing type 2 diabetes. ⋯ There was no difference in insulin levels between the CP-N and CP-H groups. Muscle PGC-1α mRNA levels and succinate dehydrogenase activity were lower in the CP-H group than in the CP-N group. We concluded that a high-fat diet reduces PGC-1α mRNA levels and oxidative capacity in skeletal muscles and accelerates metabolic syndrome.