This study investigated the effects of onion juice on the serum lipid components and blood pressure in obese rats fed high fat diets. Thirty-nine of Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups, and were treated for 8 weeks: (1) normal diet (ND); (2) high fat diet (HFD); (3) HFD for first 4 weeks and high fat diet with 40% onion juice for the last 4weeks (H-H+O); (4) HFD with 40% onion juice for 8 weeks (H+O); (5) HFD for first 4 weeks and ND for the last 4 weeks (H-N); (6) HFD for first 4 weeks and ND with 40% onion juice for the last 4 weeks (H-N+O). The rates of increasing body weight were reduced in H+O and H-H+O groups compared with HFD group. The levels of triglyceride, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol and total cholesterol in blood serum were significantly decreased in the H+O and H-H+O groups compared with the HFD group. Administration of onion reduced the size of adipocyte, steatosis, and serum hyperlipidemia in obese rats fed HFD. Moreover, the antihypertensive effects of onion were observed in obesity rat fed HFD. Overall results suggest that onion reduces the serum lipid components and improves hypertension in obese rat fed HFD.

We examined the effect of stroma-derived factors, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and leptin, on morphological differentiation of bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC) in collagen gel three-dimensional culture in vitro. BMEC treated with HGF, but not leptin, formed duct-like organoids. The formation of organoids by HGF was enhanced by treatment with a mixture of insulin, cortisol and prolactin, while BMEC treated with the mixture alone did not produce the organoid. In contrast, the formation of organoids by HGF was dose-dependently inhibited by simultaneous addition of leptin, regardless of the presence or absence of the hormone mixture. These results suggest that stroma-derived factors intricately regulate mammary epithelial morphogenesis.