Increase of uncoupling protein and its mRNA in brown adipose tissue of rats fed on 'cafeteria diet'.

The effect of ‘cafeteria diet’ on mitochondrial uncoupling protein in brown adipose tissue of rats was examined. ‘Cafeteria diet’ induced an increase of the 32 kDa uncoupling protein in electrophoresed proteins of brown-fat mitochondria. Use of a cDNA probe corresponding to uncoupling-protein mRNA indicated that this mRNA was increased in rats fed on the ‘cafeteria diet’. Nevertheless, this effect was weak compared with that observed in rats adapted to cold.