Zinc-induced hyperleptinemia relates to the amelioration of sucrose-induced obesity with zinc repletion

Objective: Dietary zinc repletion can ameliorate sucrose-induced obesity. A positive correlation between zinc and leptin has been recently noted, and both are known as important mediators in appetite control. In this study, w e examined whether the reported amelioration of sucrose-induced obesity by zinc repletion was consequent on the changes in circulating leptin levels. Research Methods and Procedures: Mice with obesity that was induced by givi ng a 32% sucrose solution in addition to a semipurified diet were divided i nto two groups based on whether they had 20 mg/liter zinc supplementation i n their drinking water. Results: As expected, the mice with sucrose-induced obesity had hyperglycem ia, hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperleptinemia, and hypozincem ia when compared with the mice given the diet alone. Body weight gain, body fat content, and food and sucrose intake tended to decrease but not with s tatistical significance in sucrose-fed obese mice with zinc supplementation . Nevertheless, some serum variables (glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and zinc) in sucrose-fed obese mice with zinc treatment were approximate to tho se values of the mice given the diet alone. Moreover, sucrose-fed obese mic e with zinc supplementation had the highest serum Values of leptin. Discussion: This study indicates that the amelioration of sucrose-induced o besity by zinc repletion may be partly attributable to the hyperleptinemia induced by the mineral.