High consumption of sucrose induces DNA damage in male Wistar rats

Iron supplementation does not aggravate impaired glucose tolerance and sugar overload-induced genotoxicity in rats

High sugar intake is a major risk factor for metabolic disorders. Genotoxicity is an important factor in diabetes onset, and iron (Fe) may be an aggravating element. However, this relationship is still poorly established. Thus, this study evaluated whether Fe supplementation could aggravate obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, and sugar overload-induced genotoxicity in rats. A total of 24 rats were treated with different diets: standard diet (SD, n = 8), invert sugar overload (320 g/L, HSD, n = 8), or Fe plus invert sugar overload (2.56 mg/L of Fe²⁺, Fe-HSD, n = 8) for four months. After treatment, the Fe-HSD group showed no excessive weight gain or impaired glucose tolerance. DNA damage in blood, as assessed by comet assay, gradually increased in HSD during treatment (p < 0.001), whereas Fe-HSD showed a nonlinear increase in DNA damage. Moreover, Fe-HSD presented 0.6-fold more DNA damage compared with SD (p = 0.0055) in the 1st month of treatment. At months 2 and 3, results show a ≥ 1.4-fold increase in HSD and Fe-HSD DNA damage, respectively, compared with SD (p < 0.01). At the end of the experiment, only HSD DNA damage differed from SD (1.5-fold more, p = 0.0196). Fe supplementation did not aggravate the invert sugar-induced DNA damage (p > 0.05). In the pancreas, results showed no differences in DNA damage. Mutagenicity, evaluated by micronucleus testing, was not observed regardless of treatment (p = 0.428). Fe supplementation, in the evaluated concentration, did not aggravate weight gain, impaired glucose tolerance, and sugar overload-induced genotoxicity in rats.

Metabolic programming in offspring of mice fed fructose during pregnancy and lactation

Fructose (C6H12O6), also known as levulose, is a hexose. Chronic consumption of fructose may be associated with increased intrahepatic fat concentration and the development of insulin resistance as well as an increase in the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and hyperlipidemia during pregnancy. Despite the existence of many studies regarding the consumption of fructose in pregnancy, its effects on fetuses have not yet been fully elucidated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic and biochemical effects in offspring (male and female) of female mice treated with fructose during pregnancy and lactation. Pairs of 60-day-old Swiss mice were used and divided into three groups; negative control and fructose, 10%/l and 20%/l doses of fructose groups. After offspring birth, the animals were divided into six groups: P1 and P2 (males and females), water; P3 and P4 (males and females) fructose 10%/l; and P5 and P6 (males and females) fructose 20%/l. At 30 days of age, the animals were euthanized for genetic and biochemical assessments. Female and male offspring from both dosage groups demonstrated genotoxicity (evaluated through comet assay) and oxidative stress (evaluated through nitrite concentration, sulfhydril content and superoxide dismutase activity) in peripheral and brain tissues. In addition, they showed nutritional and metabolic changes due to the increase in food consumption, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, it is suggested that high consumption of fructose by pregnant female is harmful to their offspring. Thus, it is important to carry out further studies and make pregnant women aware of excessive fructose consumption during this period.

Potential Ameliorative Effects of Chromium Supplementation on Glucose Metabolism, Obesity, and Genomic Stability in Prediabetic Rat Model

Chromium (III) (Cr(III)) effect on improving glucose, body mass loss, and genomic stability has been extensively studied in models of type 2 diabetes. However, there is a lack of studies evaluating its effect on prediabetes. Thus, this study evaluates the effects of Cr(III) as dietetic supplementation on glucose metabolism, obesity, and genomic stability on prediabetic rat model using high-invert sugar. Male Wistar rats were divided randomly into four treatment groups: (1) control, receiving standard diet (control); (2) prediabetic (PD), receiving a 32% of invert sugar; (3) Cr(III), receiving chromium (III) chloride (CrCl₃•6H₂O) (58.4 mg/L); and (4) Cr(III) + PD, receiving CrCl₃•6H₂O in combination with high-invert sugar. Cr(III) supplementation significantly reduced blood glucose (123.00 ± 8.29 mg/dL vs. 115.30 ± 9.31 mg/dL, p = 0.015) and partially reduced area under the 120-min blood glucose response curve (AUC) in PD rats (p = 0.227). Moreover, Cr(III) attenuated weight gain (187.29 ± 38.56 g vs. 167.22 ± 29.30 g, p = 0.004), significantly reducing body mass index (0.68 ± 0.04 g/cm² vs. 0.63 ± 0.04 g/cm², p < 0.001), Lee index (0.30 ± 0.01 vs. 0.28 ± 0.01, p < 0.001), and peritoneal fat (p < 0.001). Regarding genomic stability, high-invert sugar, Cr(III), or the combination of both did not produce changes in oxidative stress, DNA damage in pancreas, or cytotoxicity markers. These data suggest that Cr(III) supplementation improved partially glucose metabolism and reduced obesity in rat model PD due to high-invert sugar without influence in genomic stability.

Trehalose Modulates Autophagy Process to Counteract Gliadin Cytotoxicity in an In Vitro Celiac Disease Model

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disorder that is triggered by the ingestion of gliadin peptides, the alcohol-soluble fraction of wheat gluten. These peptides, which play a key role in the immune response that underlies CD, spontaneously form aggregates and exert a direct toxic action on cells due to the increase in the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Furthermore, peptic-tryptic digested gliadin peptides (PT-gliadin) lead to an impairment in the autophagy pathway in an in vitro model based on Caco-2 cells. Considering these premises, in this study we have analyzed different mTOR-independent inducers, reporting that the disaccharide trehalose, a mTOR-independent autophagy activator, rescued the autophagy flux in Caco-2 cells treated with digested gliadin, as well as improved cell viability. Moreover, trehalose administration to Caco-2 cells in presence of digested gliadin reduced the intracellular levels of these toxic peptides. Altogether, these results showed the beneficial effects of trehalose in a CD in vitro model as well as underlining autophagy as a molecular pathway whose modulation might be promising in counteracting PT-gliadin cytotoxicity.