Relationship between Innate Immune Response Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR-4) and the Pathophysiological Process of Obesity Cardiomyopathy

Background: Obesity is a chronic low-grade inflammation condition related to cardiac disorders. However, the mechanism responsible for obesity-related cardiac inflammation is unclear. The toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) belongs to a receptor of the transmembrane family responsible for the immune response whose activation stimulates the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Objective: To test whether the activation of the TLR-4 receptor participates in the obesity cardiomyopathy process, due to cytokine production through NF-kappa B activation. Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomized into two groups: the control group (C, n=8 animals) that received standard diet/water and the obese group (OB, n=8 animals) that were fed a high sugar-fat diet and water plus 25% of sucrose for 30 weeks. Nutritional analysis: body weight, adiposity index, food, water, and caloric intake. Obesity-related disorders analysis: plasma glucose, uric acid and triglycerides, HOMA-IR, systolic blood pressure, TNF-alpha in adipose tissue. Cardiac analysis included: TLR-4 and NF-kappa B protein expression, TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels. Comparison by unpaired Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney test with a p-value < 0.05 as statistically significant. Results: The OB group showed obesity, high glucose, triglycerides, uric acid, HOMA, systolic blood pressure, and TNF-alpha in adipose tissue. OB group presented cardiac remodeling and diastolic dysfunction. TLR-4 and NF-kappa B expression and cytokine levels were higher in OB. Conclusion: Our findings conclude that, in an obesogenic condition, the inflammation derived from cardiac TLR-4 activation can be a mechanism able to lead to remodeling and cardiac dysfunction.