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Fructose-enriched diet induces inflammation and reduces antioxidative defense in visceral adipose tissue of young female rats

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Abstract

Purpose

The consumption of refined, fructose-enriched food continuously increases and has been linked to development of obesity, especially in young population. Low-grade inflammation and increased oxidative stress have been implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity-related disorders including type 2 diabetes. In this study, we examined alterations in inflammation and antioxidative defense system in the visceral adipose tissue (VAT) of fructose-fed young female rats, and related them to changes in adiposity and insulin sensitivity.

Methods

We examined the effects of 9-week fructose-enriched diet applied immediately after weaning on nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) intracellular distribution, and on the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNFα) and key antioxidative enzymes in the VAT of female rats. Insulin signaling in the VAT was evaluated at the level of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) protein and its inhibitory phosphorylation on Ser307.

Results

Fructose-fed rats had increased VAT mass along with increased NF-κB nuclear accumulation and elevated IL-1β, but not TNFα expression. The protein levels of antioxidative defense enzymes, mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase 2, and glutathione peroxidase, were reduced, while the protein content of IRS-1 and its inhibitory phosphorylation were not altered by fructose diet.

Conclusions

The results suggest that fructose overconsumption-related alterations in pro-inflammatory markers and antioxidative capacity in the VAT of young female rats can be implicated in the development of adiposity, but do not affect inhibitory phosphorylation of IRS-1.

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Acknowledgments

Funding sources: Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, Grant III41009.

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  1. Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, 142 Despot Stefan Blvd, Belgrade, 11060, Serbia

    Sanja Kovačević, Jelena Nestorov, Gordana Matić & Ivana Elaković

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  1. Sanja Kovačević
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  2. Jelena Nestorov
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Correspondence to Ivana Elaković.

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Kovačević, S., Nestorov, J., Matić, G. et al. Fructose-enriched diet induces inflammation and reduces antioxidative defense in visceral adipose tissue of young female rats. Eur J Nutr 56, 151–160 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-1065-0

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