Short-chain fructooligosaccharides influence insulin sensitivity and gene expression of fat tissue in obese dogs

Dietary fibers may modulate insulin resistance and glucose homeostasis in dogs. Their efficacy is, however, dependent on their origin, physical properties, and fermentability in the large bowel. Eight healthy Beagle dogs were fed a commercial diet at twice their maintenance requirements until they became obese. They were then maintained in the obese state and used in a cross-over design study to evaluate the effects of short-chain fructooligosaccharide (scFOS) supplementation (1% wt:wt dry matter in the diet). The euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique was performed before and after fattening and at the end of each 6-wk cross-over period. Fat tissue biopsies were taken in food-deprived and postprandial phases to measure mRNA abundance of genes involved with fatty acid, glucose metabolism, or inflammation. Insulin resistance appeared progressively with fattening and the rate of glucose infusion during euglycemic clamp was lower (P < 0.05) at the end of the fattening period (7.39 mg.kg(-1).min(-1)) than at baseline (21.21 mg.kg(-1).min(-1)). In stable obese dogs, scFOS increased (P < 0.05) the rate of glucose infusion compared with control (7.77 vs. 4.72 mg.kg(-1).min(-1)). Plasma insulin and triglyceride concentrations were greater in obese than in lean dogs but were not altered by scFOS. Whereas mRNA was not affected in food-deprived dogs, scFOS increased uncoupling protein 2 (P = 0.05) and tended to increase carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 adipose mRNA levels during the postprandial period (P = 0.09). Adding 1% scFOS to the diet of obese dogs decreases insulin resistance and appears to modulate the transcription of genes involved in fatty acid or glucose metabolism.