Molecular mechanism of high fat diet-induced oxidative stress in heart and skeletal muscle

• Main Author: Goh, Fen Nee
• Other Authors: School of Biological Sciences
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/60626
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Background: Obesity is associated with increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant mechanism. NADPH oxidase is a source of oxidative stress in a variety of tissues pertaining to obesity. Objective: We hypothesized that upregulation of different subunits of NADPH oxidase play a crucial role in oxidant system in the heart and skeletal muscle. The aim of this study is to evaluate the differential expression of NADPH oxidase subunits; NOX2 and NOX4 in both heart and skeletal muscle of control lean and obese mice. Methods: Two groups of mice were fed with high-fat-diet (HFD) for 6 weeks and 16 weeks. Control mice were fed with chow diet. Proteins from heart and skeletal muscle were extracted and the expression of NOX2 and NOX4 were determined using Western Blot analysis. Results: Our results showed no significant increase in the expression of NOX2 and NOX4 in both 6 and 16 weeks obese mice heart and skeletal muscle compared to control lean mice. Conclusion: Upregulation of NADPH oxidase subunits NOX2 and NOX4 does not involve in increased oxidative stress in obesity. Increased oxidative stress in obesity may be due to the activation of NADPH oxidase enzyme rather than the expression of NADPH oxidase.