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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Electric stimulation of ears accelerates body weight loss mediated by high-fat to low-fat diet switch accompanied by increased white adipose tissue browning in C57BL/6 J mice

Authors: Szu-Han Chen, Hsiao-Chien Chen, Ching-Liang Hsieh, Pei-Min Chao

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Weight reduction frequently occurs in patients receiving vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy. Therefore, we hypothesized that during dietary intervention for weight loss, auricular electric stimulation (AES), an alternative of VNS, accelerates weight loss by increasing white adipose tissue (WAT) browning and increases energy expenditure.

Methods

C57BL/6J male mice were fed a high-fat diet for 5 wk. to induce obesity, then switched to a low-fat diet for 5 wk. and allocated into 3 groups to receive 2 Hz electric stimulation on ears, electrode clamps only, or nothing (AES, Sham and Ctrl, respectively).

Results

Switching to a low-fat diet reduced body weight progressively in all 3 groups, with the greatest reduction in the AES group. In accordance with a mild decrease in feed intake, hypothalamus mRNA levels of Npy, AgRP tended to be reduced, while Pomc tended to be increased by AES. Mice in the AES group had the highest concentrations of norepinephrine in serum and inguinal WAT, and expression levels of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) and tyrosine hydroxylase in inguinal WAT. Furthermore, their subcutaneous adipocytes had multilocular and UCP-1+ characteristics, along with a smaller cell size.

Conclusion

AES, by increasing WAT browning, could be used in conjunction with a low-fat diet to augment weight loss in addition to suppressing appetite.
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Metadata
Title
Electric stimulation of ears accelerates body weight loss mediated by high-fat to low-fat diet switch accompanied by increased white adipose tissue browning in C57BL/6 J mice
Authors
Szu-Han Chen
Hsiao-Chien Chen
Ching-Liang Hsieh
Pei-Min Chao
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-018-2388-1

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