Dietary supplementation of tetradecylthioacetic acid increases feed intake but reduces body weight gain and adipose depot sizes in rats fed on high-fat diets

Aim: The pan‐peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR) ligand and fatty acid analogue tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA) may reduce plasma lipids and enhance hepatic lipid metabolism, as well as reduce adipose tissue sizes in rats fed on high‐fat diets. This study further explores the effects of TTA on weight gain, feed intake and adipose tissue functions in rats that are fed a high‐fat diet for 7 weeks. Methods: The effects on feed intake and body weight during 7 weeks' dietary supplement with TTA (∼200 mg/kg bw) were studied in male Wistar rats fed on a lard‐based diet containing ∼40% energy from fat. Adipose tissue mass, body composition and expression of relevant genes in fat depots and liver were measured at the end of the feeding. Results: Despite higher feed intake during the final 2 weeks of the study, rats fed on TTA gained less body weight than lard‐fed rats and had markedly decreased subcutaneous, epididymal, perirenal and mesenteric adipose depots. The effects of TTA feeding with reduced body weight gain and energy efficiency (weight gain/feed intake) started between day 10 and 13. Body contents of fat, protein and water were reduced after feeding lard plus TTA, with a stronger decrease in fat relative...