High-fat diet-induced juvenile obesity leads to cardiomyocyte dysfunction and upregulation of Foxo3a transcription factor independent of lipotoxicity and apoptosis

Background Obesity is associated with dyslipidemia, which leads to elevated triglyceride and ceramide levels, apoptosis and compromised cardiac function. Methods To determine the role of high-fat diet-induced obesity on cardiomyocyte function, weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets incorporating 10% of kcal or 45% of kcal from fat. Mechanical function of ventricular myocytes was evaluated including peak shortening (PS), time-to-PS (TIPS), time-to-90% relengthening (TR90) and maximal velocity of shortening and relengthening (+/- dl/dt). Intracellular Ca2+ properties were assessed using fluorescent microscopy. Results High-fat diet induced hyperinsulinemic insulin-resistant obesity with depressed PS, +/- dl/dt, prolonged TPS/TR90 reduced intracellular Ca2+ release and Ca2+ clearing rate in the absence of hypertension, diabetes, lipotoxicity and apoptosis. Myocyte responsiveness to increased stimulus frequency and extracellular Ca2+ was compromised. SERCA2a and phospholamban levels were increased, whereas phosphorylated phospholamban and potassium channel (Kv(1,2)) were reduced in high-fat diet group. High-fat diet upregulated the forkhead transcription factor Foxo3a, and suppressed mitochondrial aconitase activity without affecting expression of the caloric sensitive gene silent information regulator 2 (Sir2), protein nitrotyrosine formation, lipid peroxidation and apoptosis. Levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS), inducible NOS, triglycerides and ceramide were similar between the two groups. Conclusions Collectively, our data show that high-fat diet-induced obesity resulted in impaired cardiomyocyte function, upregulated Foxo3a transcription factor and mitochondrial damage without overt lipotoxicity or apoptosis.