THE ROLE OF THE PERIPHERAL SEROTONIN SYSTEM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GLUTAMATE-INDUCED OBESITY IN RATS AND ITS CORRECTION BY NANOCRYSTALLINE CERIUM DIOXIDE

Peripheral serotonin is an endocrine regulator of lipid metabolism, as demonstrated in studies on animals with diet-induced obesity and in observations of obese humans. However, data on its role in the development of monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obesity are limited. This study aimed to investigate the role of the peripheral serotonin system in the development of glutamate-induced obesity and the potential corrective effects of nanocrystalline cerium dioxide (nCeO₂). Experiments were performed on male Wistar rats with MSG-induced obesity. Animals were divided into groups: control, MSG-obese, MSG-obese treated with nCeO₂, and intact rats treated with nCeO₂. The content of serotonin in the blood plasma was determined using ELISA, while lipid metabolism parameters were assessed biochemically. MSG-obese rats exhibited increased body weight, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, and reduced peripheral serotonin levels compared to the control group. Treatment with nCeO₂ led to normalization of lipid metabolism indicators and a significant increase in peripheral serotonin levels. The findings suggest that peripheral serotonin deficiency contributes to lipid metabolism disorders in MSG-induced obesity and that correction with nCeO₂ may be an effective therapeutic strategy. The study provides new insights into the endocrine regulation of lipid metabolism and supports the use of nCeO₂ as a potential therapeutic agent in obesity associated with serotonin deficiency.