Prenatal dietary load of Maillard reaction products combined with postnatal Coca-Cola drinking affects metabolic status of female Wistar rats

How advanced are we on the consequences of oral exposure to food contaminants on the occurrence of chronic non communicable diseases?

The development of an individual during fetal life and childhood is characterized by rapid growth as well as gradual maturation of organs and systems. Beyond the nutritional intake in essential nutrients, food contaminants can permanently influence the way organs mature and function. These processes are called "programming" and play an essential role in the occurrence of non-communicable chronic diseases throughout the lifespan. Populations as pregnant women, fetuses and young children are vulnerable and particularly sensitive to food contaminants which can induce epigenetic modifications transmissible to future generations. Among these contaminants, pesticides are found in most food matrices exposing humans to cocktails of molecules through variable concentrations and duration of exposure. The Maillard reaction products (MRPs) represent other food contaminants resulting from heat treatment of food. Modern diet, rich in fats and sugars, is also rich in neoformed pathogenic compounds, Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs), the levels of which depend on the heat treatment of foods and eating habits and whose effects on health are controversial. In this review, we have chosen to present the current knowledge on the impacts of selected pesticides and MRPs, on the risk of developing during life non-communicable chronic diseases such as IBD, metabolic disorders or allergies. A large review of literature was performed via Pubmed, and the most appropriate studies were summarised.

Metabolic and Renal Effects of Dietary Advanced Glycation end Products in Pregnant Rats – A Pilot Study

Thermally processed food contains advanced glycation end products (AGEs) including N-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML). Higher AGEs or circulating CML were shown to be associated with pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. It is unclear whether this association is causal. The aim of our study was to analyze the effects of dietary CML and CML-containing thermally processed food on metabolism in pregnant rats. Animals were fed with standard or with AGE-rich diet from gestation day 1. Third group received standard diet and CML via gavage. On gestation day 18, blood pressure was measured, urine and blood were collected and the oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Plasma AGEs were slightly higher in pregnant rats fed with the AGE-rich diet (p=0.09). A non-significant trend towards higher CML in plasma was found in the CML group (p=0.06). No significant differences between groups were revealed in glucose metabolism or markers of renal functions like proteinuria and creatinine clearance. In conclusion, this study does not support the hypothesis that dietary AGEs such as CML might induce harmful metabolic changes or contribute to the pathogenesis of pregnancy complications. The short duration of the rodent gestation warrants further studies analyzing long-term effects of AGEs/CML in preconception nutrition.

Lower Doses of Fructose Extend Lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans

Epidemiological studies indicate that the increased consumption of sugars including sucrose and fructose in beverages correlate with the prevalence of obesity, type-2 diabetes, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension in humans. A few reports suggest that fructose extends lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In Anopheles gambiae, fructose, glucose, or glucose plus fructose also extended lifespan. New results presented here suggest that fructose extends lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) wild type (N2). C. elegans were fed standard laboratory food source (E. coli OP50), maintained in liquid culture. Experimental groups received additional glucose (111 mM), fructose (55 mM, 111 mM, or 555 mM), sucrose (55 mM, 111 mM, or 555 mM), glucose (167 mM) plus fructose (167 mM) (G&F), or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS, 333 mM). In four replicate experiments, fructose dose-dependently increased mean lifespan at 55 mM or 111 m Min N2, but decreased lifespan at 555 mM (P < 0.001). Sucrose did not affect the lifespan. Glucose reduced lifespan (P < 0.001). Equal amount of G&F or HFCS reduced lifespan (P < 0.0001). Intestinal fat deposition (IFD) was increased at a higher dose of fructose (555 mM), glucose (111 mM), and sucrose (55 mM, 111 mM, and 555 mM). Here we report a biphasic effect of fructose increasing lifespan at lower doses and shortening lifespan at higher doses with an inverse effect on IFD. In view of reports that fructose increases lifespan in yeast, mosquitoes and now nematodes, while decreasing fat deposition (in nematodes) at lower concentrations, further research into the relationship of fructose to lifespan and fat accumulation in vertebrates and mammals is indicated.

Associations between the consumption of carbonated beverages and periodontal disease: The 2008-2010 Korea national health and nutrition examination survey

Consumption of carbonated beverages was reported to be associated with obesity and other adverse health consequences. This study was performed to assess the relationship between the consumption of carbonated beverages and periodontal disease using nationally representative data.The data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2008 and 2010 were used; the analysis in this study was confined to a total of 5517 respondents >19 years old who had no missing values for the consumption of carbonated beverages or outcome variables. The community periodontal index greater than or equal to code 3 was defined as periodontal disease.The odds ratios of the percentage of individuals with periodontal treatment needs tended to increase with the consumption of carbonated beverages. Adjusted odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals adjusted for various factors including age, sex, body mass index, smoking, drinking, exercise, metabolic syndrome, frequency of tooth brushing per day, use of secondary oral products, dental checkup within a year, consumption of coffee of the individuals with the consumption of carbonated beverages once or less per month, once or less per week and twice or more per week were 1.109(0.804,1.528), 1.404(1.035,1.906), and 1.466(1.059,2.029), respectively. A subgroup analysis revealed that in individuals with body mass index < 25 or waist circumference < 90 cm for males or < 80 cm for females, the prevalence of periodontal disease increased with higher consumption of carbonated beverages (P for trend < 0.05).Consumption of carbonated beverages was positively associated with the risk of periodontal disease in Korean adults. In a subgroup analysis, the individuals consuming carbonated beverages with body mass index < 25 or waist circumference < 90 cm for males or < 80 cm for females were more likely to have periodontal disease. Consumption of carbonated beverages may be considered to be an independent risk indicator for periodontal disease and periodontal health of nonobese individuals may benefit from reduction of carbonated beverage consumption.

Pre-gestational overweight in guinea pig sows induces fetal vascular dysfunction and increased rate of large and small fetuses

In humans, obesity before and during pregnancy is associated with both fetal macrosomia and growth restriction, and long-term cardiovascular risk in the offspring. We aimed to determine whether overweighted pregnant guinea pig sows results in an increased fetal weight at term and the effects on the vascular reactivity in fetal systemic and umbilical arteries. Pregnant guinea pigs were classified as control (n=4) or high weight (HWS, n=5) according to their pre-mating weight, and their fetuses extracted at 0.9 gestation (~60 days). Segments of fetal femoral and umbilical arteries were mounted in a wire myograph, where the contractile response to KCl (5-125 mM), and the relaxation to nitric oxide synthase-dependent agents (insulin, 10-10-10-7 and acetylcholine, 10-10-10-5) and nitric oxide [sodium nitroprusside (SNP), 10-10-10-5] were determined. Fetuses from HWS (HWSF) were grouped according to their body weight as low (85 g) fetal weight, based on the confidence interval (76.5-84.9 g) of the control group. No HWSF were observed in the normal range. Umbilical arteries from HWSF showed a lower response to KCl and insulin compared with controls, but a comparable response with SNP. Conversely, femoral arteries from HWSF showed an increased response to KCl and acetylcholine, along with a decreased sensitivity to SNP. These data show that overweight sows have altered fetal growth along gestation. Further, large and small fetuses from obese guinea pig sows showed altered vascular reactivity at umbilical and systemic vessels, which potentially associates with long-term cardiovascular risk.

Pathologic role of dietary advanced glycation end products in cardiometabolic disorders, and therapeutic intervention

Reactive derivatives from nonenzymatic glucose-protein condensation reactions, as well as lipids and nucleic acids exposed to reducing sugars, form a heterogeneous group of irreversible adducts called AGEs (advanced glycation end products). The glycation process begins with the conversion of reversible Schiff base adducts to more stable, covalently bound Amadori rearrangement products. Over the course of days to weeks, these Amadori products undergo further rearrangement and condensation reactions to form irreversibly cross-linked macroprotein derivatives known as AGEs. The formation and accumulation of AGEs have been known to progress in a physiological aging process and at an accelerated rate under hyperglycemic and oxidative stress conditions. There is growing evidence that AGEs play a pathologic role in numerous disorders. Indeed, glycation and/or cross-linking modification of circulating or organic matrix proteins by AGEs the senescence of moieties and deteriorate their physiological function and structural integrity in multiple organ systems. Moreover, AGEs elicit oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions through the interaction with the receptor for advanced glycation products in a variety of cells, thereby contributing to the development and progression of various aging- or diabetes-related disorders, such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, insulin resistance, and Alzheimer's disease. Recently, diet has been recognized as a major environmental source of AGEs that could cause proinflammatory reactions and organ damage in vivo. Therefore, this review summarizes the pathophysiological role of dietary AGEs in health and disease, especially focusing on cardiometabolic disorders. We also discuss the potential utility in targeting exogenously derived AGEs for therapeutic intervention.