Maternal dietary free or bound fructose diversely influence developmental programming of lipogenesis.
BACKGROUND
Maternal dietary choices throughout preconception, pregnancy, and lactation irreversibly affect the development of fetal tissues and organs, known as fetal programming. Recommendations tend to emphasize reducing added sugars. However, the impact of maternal dietary free or bound fructose in added sugars on developmental programming of lipogenesis is unknown.


METHODS
Virgin Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups. Rats were given feed and plain water (control) or water containing maltodextrin (vehicle), fructose, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) containing 55% fructose, sucrose (20% w/v) for 12 weeks before mating and throughout the pregnancy and lactation periods. Body weight, water, and feed intake were measured throughout the study. At the end of the lactation period, blood was drawn to determine the fasting levels of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in blood. Triglycerides and acetyl Co-A Carboxylase-1 (ACC1) levels in livers were analyzed, and insulin resistance was calculated.


RESULTS
The energy intake of dams in the HFCS group was higher than in the fructose group, while weight gain was less in the HFCS group than in the fructose group. HFCS resulted in greater insulin resistance in dams, whereas free fructose had a robust effect on the fetal programming of insulin resistance. Free fructose and HFCS in the maternal diet increased blood and liver triglycerides and NEFA content in pups. Furthermore, fructose and HFCS exposure increased phosphorylated ACC1 as compared to maltodextrin and control, indicating greater fatty acid synthesis in pups and dams.


CONCLUSION
Different types of added sugar in the maternal diet have different metabolic effects on the developmental programming of lipogenesis. Consequently, high fructose intake via processed foods may increase the risk for chronic diseases, and free fructose might contribute to developmental programming of chronic diseases more than bound fructose.
['Yuruk|Armagan Aytug|AA|', 'Nergiz-Unal|Reyhan|R|']
D000123:Acetyltransferases D000818:Animals D001786:Blood Glucose D004032:Diet D005227:Fatty Acids D005260:Female D066248:High Fructose Corn Syrup D007328:Insulin D050155:Lipogenesis D008099:Liver D008297:Male D011247:Pregnancy D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Fructose Fetal programming Insulin Triglyceride Non-esterified fatty acids