Fructose feeding in the suckling-weaning transition in rats: effects on hyperlipidemia in adulthood.
The sucking-weaning transition is characterized by high rates of growth and development and may be a sensitive period during which dietary intake could program metabolism to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in adulthood. Intake of a high fructose (FR) diet is known to induce hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance in rats when they are consuming this diet. We examined whether a FR diet fed early in life produces detrimental changes in lipid and glucose metabolism that persist to adulthood. Weanling rats were fed 65% FR (wt/wt), a purified control diet (CNTL) or standard chow (CHOW) for 5 weeks. Beyond 9 weeks of age, all rats were fed CHOW. During FR feeding, plasma triglycerides (TG) were significantly elevated in the FR group (FR = 217 +/- 20; CNTL = 163 +/- 17; chow = 156 +/- 10). At 21 wks of age, TG's were similar in rats fed FR or CNTL versus CHOW at weaning (p > 0.87). Hepatic fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity was elevated in FR and CNTL groups vs. CHOW (65 +/- 7, 72 +/- 6 vs. 48 +/- 4 nmol NADPH/mg protein/min, p < 0.01). There were no differences in indices of glucose homeostasis at 21 weeks of age. Early exposure to a diet high in simple sugars (FR or CNTL) and/or low in fiber during the suckling-weaning transition may contribute to modest dyslipidemia later in life. Together, changes observed in this study may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood.
Bell
R C
RC
Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Rhonda.bell@ualberta.ca
Hoedl
A
A
Turchinsky
J
J
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000378:metabolism; D005632:Fructose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000378:metabolism*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014886:Weaning
D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D005632:Fructose; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases; D005947:Glucose