6533b7d4fe1ef96bd12625d4

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Caractérisation et prévention des conséquences d’un syndrome métabolique dans la rétine

subject

description

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) results from carbohydrate and lipid disorders that originate from misbalanced energy metabolism. MetS is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes that, in pathophysiological conditions, is characterized by vascular alterations, particularly in the retina, creating the diabetic retinopathy (DR). Despite it presents a barrier limiting the input of blood factors, the retina is under metabolic variations. The consequences of MetS in the retina have not been characterized. MetS would be responsible for the inflammation and microvascular alterations in the retina and could participate to the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). A diet rich in omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) i.e. docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and low omega-6 fatty acid, should participate to the prevention of insulin resistance, a feature of MetS. Such diet would be protective against AMD, the leading cause of visual impairment after the age of 55 years in Western populations. Meanwhile, the bioavailability of omega-3 in the retina, is a parameter to consider to fully take advantages of their protective effects. Yet, data on the bioavailability of fatty acids from different origins are sparse and need to be studied.Our first goal was to associate metabolic and retinal disturbances in the context of MetS. For that purpose, we evaluated the impact of a pro diabetic diet on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in the rat, and further analyzed the function and structure of the retina. Our second objective was to compare the efficacy of phospholipids and triglycerides to improve the incorporation of omega-3 LC-PUFA in the retina and others tissues in the rat.Brown Norway (BN) rats were fed with a 60% fructose and 10% saturated lipid diet (HFHF). The results revealed fasted hyperglycaemia, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance at 8 days and afterwards, without dyslipidaemia. Thus, considering the resistance of BN rats to develop dyslipidaemia, we performed a comparative study with BN and W rats by feeding them with HFHF. Our results showed that W rats were more sensitive to lipid deregulations. However, they did not develop insulin resistance, and developed hyperglycaemia later than BN. Regarding these data, functional analyses of retina by electroretinography was performed in BN. Electroretinograms revealed a loss of cone photoreceptor sensitivity after 4 weeks of HFHF diet without other functional dysfunction.In one independent group of BN rats, choroidal neovascularization was induced by rupture of Bruch’s membrane with impact lasers in eye fundus. Retinal angiography revealed that feeding HFHF diet during 4 weeks favoured neovascular development in the retina, and activated Müller cells. Then, we wanted to compare omega-3 LC-PUFA integration in the retina by feeding Wistar rats with 6 different lipid sources. The strength of this work was to use either phospholipids, triglycerides or a mix of both, that contained either EPA or DHA as the prominent omega-3 fatty acid. Our qualitative data revealed an increase of DHA in the retina, particularly in the photoreceptor layer, around the optic nerve, regardless lipid formula. Our quantitative data revealed a better integration of DHA, particularly DHA-containing phosphatidylcholine, in the retina, when EPA is provided esterified on phospholipids, and DHA is provided on both, phospholipids and triglycerides. All the supplemented diets allowed an increase in very long chain-PUFAs in the retina.