Upregulation of uncoupling proteins by oral administration of capsiate, a nonpungent capsaicin analog

• Published in: Journal of applied physiology (1985) 2003-12, Vol.95 (6), p.2408-2415
• Main Authors: Masuda, Yoriko, Haramizu, Satoshi, Oki, Kasumi, Ohnuki, Koichiro, Watanabe, Tatsuo, Yazawa, Susumu, Kawada, Teruo, Hashizume, Shu-ichi, Fushiki, Tohru
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - drug effects; Adipose Tissue, Brown - metabolism; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; Body fat; Capsaicin - analogs & derivatives; Capsaicin - pharmacology; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Carrier Proteins - biosynthesis; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Epididymis - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gases - metabolism; Hormones; Ion Channels; Male; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Membrane Transport Proteins - biosynthesis; Metabolism; Mice; Mitochondrial Proteins - biosynthesis; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Organ Size - drug effects; Oxygen Consumption - drug effects; Proteins; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; RNA - biosynthesis; Thyroid gland; Thyroid Hormones - blood; Uncoupling Protein 1; Uncoupling Protein 2; Uncoupling Protein 3; Up-Regulation - drug effects
• ISSN: 8750-7587; 1522-1601
• DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00828.2002

1 Laboratory of Nutrition Chemistry, Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, and 3 Laboratory of Vegetable and Ornamental Horticulture, Division of Agriculture, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502; 2 School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422-8526; and 4 Research Institute, Morinaga and Company, Limited, Yokohama 230-8504, Japan Submitted 11 September 2002 ; accepted in final form 14 August 2003 Capsiate is a nonpungent capsaicin analog, a recently identified principle of the nonpungent red pepper cultivar CH-19 Sweet. In the present study, we report that 2-wk treatment of capsiate increased metabolic rate and promoted fat oxidation at rest, suggesting that capsiate may prevent obesity. To explain these effects, at least in part, we examined uncoupling proteins (UCPs) and thyroid hormones. UCPs and thyroid hormones play important roles in energy expenditure, the maintenance of body weight, and thermoregulation. Two-week treatment of capsiate increased the levels of UCP1 protein and mRNA in brown adipose tissue and UCP2 mRNA in white adipose tissue. This dose of capsiate did not change serum triiodothyronine or thyroxine levels. A single dose of capsiate temporarily raised both UCP1 mRNA in brown adipose tissue and UCP3 mRNA in skeletal muscle. These results suggest that UCP1 and UCP2 may contribute to the promotion of energy metabolism by capsiate, but that thyroid hormones do not. oxygen consumption; body fat; energy expenditure; CH-19 Sweet; thermogenesis Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: T. Fushiki, Laboratory of Nutrition Chemistry, Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto Univ., Kyoto 606-8502, Japan (E-mail: d53765{at}sakura.kudpc.kyoto-u.ac.jp ).