Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 16, 2026
Author Spotlight: Exploring the Relationship Between Lipotoxicity and HFpEF
Published on: March 29, 2024
The Effects of High-Fat Diet on the Molecular Pathways in Cardiac Tissue: A Systematic Review of In Vivo Rodent
Muhammad Syaffuan Ahmad Najib1,2, Marjanu Hikmah Elias2, Norsham Juliana2
1School of Pharmacy, KPJ Healthcare University, Persiaran Seriemas, Kota Seriemas, Nilai 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
Insights
A high-fat diet impacts cardiac gene expression, contributing to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study identifies key molecular pathways affected by high-fat diets in cardiac tissue, crucial for understanding CVD development.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular research
- Molecular biology
- Dietary science
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are globally prevalent, linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome.
- The effects of high-fat diets (HFD) on cardiac gene expression are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of HFD on gene expression in cardiac tissue.
- To identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and proteins (DEPs) in cardiac tissue due to HFD.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a literature search across major scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect).
- Selected in vivo rodent studies examining cardiac DEGs/DEPs in response to HFD.
- Analyzed 14 selected studies, extracting 159 DEGs/DEPs for pathway analysis using DAVID, STRING, and Cytoscape.
Main Results:
- A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis identified 159 genes/proteins with significant molecular interactions.
- Six key molecular pathways were highlighted, including glucose metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and inflammatory response.
- The analysis revealed significant molecular pathways linked to HFD-induced cardiac changes.
Conclusions:
- This study establishes a link between HFD, obesity, and CVDs at the molecular level in cardiac tissue.
- Understanding these gene expression changes is vital for elucidating the mechanisms of HFD-induced cardiac dysfunction.
- Further research into these molecular mechanisms is needed to inform potential therapeutic strategies.
Abstract:
Background/Objectives: The global high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is attributed to the high prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome. However, the impact of a high-fat diet (HFD) on the expression of genes in cardiac tissue remains poorly understood. Methods: A thorough literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and ScienceDirect databases. The Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms such as "high-fat diet", "gene expression" and "cardiac tissue" were used as the keywords in all fields. Results: A total of 1608 studies were retrieved, and only in vivo experimental studies to identify cardiac tissues differentially expressed genes (DEGs) or proteins (DEPs) in rodents fed with HFD were selected. After screening, 14 studies were selected, 159 DEGs and DEPs were extracted from the data and further analysis was conducted employing DAVID, STRING, and Cytoscape 3.10.3 software. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network revealed a total of 159 genes and proteins from the selected DEGs containing 100 nodes and 292 edges with a PPI enrichment p-value of < 1.0 × 10-16 and an average local clustering coefficient of 0.447 with an average node degree of 5.84. Six significant clusters with high intermolecular interactions from the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network complex reveal significant molecular pathways, including the glucose metabolic process, fatty acid metabolic process, and inflammatory response (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The identification of the critical link between obesity and HFD-induced CVDs in cardiac tissue highlights the need for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling gene expression in cardiac tissue.
