Open Access

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effect of white tea consumption on serum leptin, TNF-α and UCP1 gene expression in ovariectomized rats

Sinan Saral¹, Faruk Saydam², Eda Dokumacioglu³, Mehtap Atak⁴, Levent Tu¨mkaya⁵, Hu¨seyin Avni Uydu⁴

1 Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Rize, Turkey
2 Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Rize, Turkey
3 Artvin Coruh University, Faculty of Healthy Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Artvin, Turkey
4 Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Rize, Turkey
5 Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Rize/Turkey

* Corresponding Author: E. Dokumacioglu,

European Cytokine Network 2021, 32(2), 31-38. https://doi.org/10.1684/ecn.2021.0467

Abstract

Background: Obesity and dyslipidemia due to estrogen deficiency are among the important health problems in menopausal women. Increasing evidence reports the anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemic properties of tea polyphenols. However, the effect of white tea (WT) with high polyphenol content on overweight and lipid profile is uncertain. Here, we aimed to examine the effects of long-term WT consumption on serum leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) mRNA gene expression in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Methods: Adult rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): (i) sham, (ii) OVX, (iii) WT and (iv) OVX + WT. WT was given at a dose of 0.5% w/v for 12 weeks. In the study, body weight, serum leptin, TNF-α, estradiol (E2) levels, lipid profile and UCP1 mRNA gene expression in brown adipose tissue (BAT) were evaluated. Results: There was a significant increase in body weight of OVX rats, which was decreased following WT consumption. While leptin and E2 levels decreased in the OVX group, TNF-α levels increased. There was no difference between the NF-κB levels of the groups. In addition, BAT UCP1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in OVX groups, while WT treatment stimulated UCP1 activity. Conclusion: We explain the stimulatory effect of WT on weight loss mainly by the induction of UCP1 gene-mediated thermogenesis and suppression of inflammation. Therefore, we suggest that prolonged WT consumption may have beneficial effects in limiting excess weight gain caused by estrogen deficiency.

---

Keywords

---