title: Functional and morphological changes in endocrine pancreas following cola drink consumption in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report the effects of long-term cola beverage drinking on glucose homeostasis, endocrine pancreas function and morphology in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats drank: water (group W), regular cola beverage (group C, sucrose sweetened) or "light" cola beverage (group L, artificially sweetened). After 6 months, 50% of the animals in each group were euthanized and the remaining animals consumed water for the next 6 months when euthanasia was performed. Biochemical assays, insulinemia determination, estimation of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), morphometry and immunohistochemistry evaluations were performed in pancreas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hyperglycemia (16%, p<0.05), CoQ10 (coenzyme-Q10) decrease (-52%,p<0.01), strong hypertriglyceridemia (2.8-fold, p<0.01), hyperinsulinemia (2.4 fold, p<0.005) and HOMA-IR increase (2.7 fold, p<0.01) were observed in C. Group C showed a decrease in number of α cells (-42%, p<0.01) and β cells (-58%, p<0.001) and a moderate increase in α cells' size after wash-out (+14%, p<0.001). Group L showed reduction in β cells' size (-9%, p<0.001) and only after wash-out (L12) a 19% increase in size (p<0.0001) with 35% decrease in number of α cells (p<0.01). Groups C and L showed increase in α/β-cell ratio which was irreversible only in C (α/β = +38% in C6,+30% in C12, p<0.001vs.W6). Regular cola induced a striking increase in the cytoplasmic expression of Trx1 (Thioredoxin-1) (2.25-fold in C6 vs. W6; 2.7-fold in C12 vs. W12, p<0.0001) and Prx2 (Peroxiredoxin-2) (3-fold in C6 vs. W6; 2-fold in C12 vs. W12, p<0.0001). Light cola induced increase in Trx1 (3-fold) and Prx2 (2-fold) after wash-out (p<0.0001, L12 vs. W12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glucotoxicity may contribute to the loss of β cell function with depletion of insulin content. Oxidative stress, suggested by increased expression of thioredoxins and low circulating levels of CoQ10, may follow sustained hyperglycemia. A likely similar panorama may result from the effects of artificially sweetened cola though via other downstream routes.
authors: Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, ININCA.UBA.CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Matilde
authors: M
authors: Otero-Losada
authors: Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, ININCA.UBA.CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Gabriel
authors: G
authors: Cao
authors: Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, ININCA.UBA.CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Julián
authors: J
authors: González
authors: Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, ININCA.UBA.CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Angélica
authors: A
authors: Muller
authors: Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, ININCA.UBA.CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Graciela
authors: G
authors: Ottaviano
authors: Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald KdöR, Ernst Moritz Arndt Universität, Greifswald, Germany.
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Lillig
authors: Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, ININCA.UBA.CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Capani
authors: Università di Perugia, Cardiologia e Fisiopatologia Cardiovascolare, Perugia, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Ambrosio
authors: Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, ININCA.UBA.CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: José
authors: J
authors: Milei
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D030221:Cola / Q000737:chemistry*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides; D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10