Acetyl-l-carnitine supplementation restores decreased tissue carnitine levels and impaired lipid metabolism in aged rats

Yasukazu Tanaka; Rorie Sasaki; Fumiko Fukui; Hatsue Waki; Terue Kawabata; Mitsuyo Okazaki; Kyoko Hasegawa; Susumu Ando

Journal of Lipid Research (Apr 2004)

Acetyl-l-carnitine supplementation restores decreased tissue carnitine levels and impaired lipid metabolism in aged rats

Yasukazu Tanaka,
Rorie Sasaki,
Fumiko Fukui,
Hatsue Waki,
Terue Kawabata,
Mitsuyo Okazaki,
Kyoko Hasegawa,
Susumu Ando

Affiliations

Yasukazu Tanaka: Neuronal Function Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan; Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyo, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0288, Japan; Laboratory of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-8-30 Kounodai, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba 272-0827, Japan
Rorie Sasaki: Neuronal Function Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan; Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyo, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0288, Japan; Laboratory of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-8-30 Kounodai, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba 272-0827, Japan
Fumiko Fukui: Neuronal Function Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan; Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyo, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0288, Japan; Laboratory of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-8-30 Kounodai, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba 272-0827, Japan
Hatsue Waki: Neuronal Function Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan; Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyo, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0288, Japan; Laboratory of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-8-30 Kounodai, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba 272-0827, Japan
Terue Kawabata: Neuronal Function Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan; Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyo, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0288, Japan; Laboratory of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-8-30 Kounodai, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba 272-0827, Japan
Mitsuyo Okazaki: Neuronal Function Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan; Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyo, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0288, Japan; Laboratory of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-8-30 Kounodai, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba 272-0827, Japan
Kyoko Hasegawa: Neuronal Function Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan; Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyo, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0288, Japan; Laboratory of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-8-30 Kounodai, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba 272-0827, Japan
Susumu Ando: Neuronal Function Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan; Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyo, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0288, Japan; Laboratory of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-8-30 Kounodai, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba 272-0827, Japan

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 45, no. 4
pp. 729 – 735

Abstract

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The effects of long-term carnitine supplementation on age-related changes in tissue carnitine levels and in lipid metabolism were investigated. The total carnitine levels in heart, skeletal muscle, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus were ∼20% less in aged rats (22 months old) than in young rats (6 months old). On the contrary, plasma carnitine levels were not affected by aging. Supplementation of acetyl-l-carnitine (ALCAR; 100 mg/kg body weight/day for 3 months) significantly increased tissue carnitine levels in aged rats but had little effect on tissue carnitine levels in young rats. Plasma lipoprotein analyses revealed that triacylglycerol levels in VLDL and cholesterol levels in LDL and in HDL were all significantly higher in aged rats than in young rats. ALCAR treatment decreased all lipoprotein fractions and consequently the levels of triacylglycerol and cholesterol. The reduction in plasma cholesterol contents in ALCAR-treated aged rats was attributable mainly to a decrease of cholesteryl esters rather than to a decrease of free cholesterol. Another remarkable effect of ALCAR was that it decreased the cholesterol content and cholesterol-phospholipid ratio in the brain tissues of aged rats.These results indicate that chronic ALCAR supplementation reverses the age-associated changes in lipid metabolism.

Published in Journal of Lipid Research

ISSN: 0022-2275 (Print); 1539-7262 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry: Organic chemistry: Biochemistry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-lipid-research

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