Dietary high calories from sunflower oil, sucrose and fructose sources alters lipogenic genes expression levels in liver and skeletal muscle in rats

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate the underlying mechanism of PPARα, LXRα, ChREBP, and SREBP-1c at the level of gene and protein expression with high-energy diets in liver and skeletal muscle.

Materials and methods: Metabolic changes with consumption of high fat (Hfat), high sucrose (Hsuc) and high fructose (Hfru) diets were assessed. Levels of mRNA and protein of PPARα, LXRα, ChREBP, and SREBP-1c were investigated. Body weight changes, histological structure of liver and plasma levels of some parameters were also examined.

Results: In Hfru group, body weights were higher than other groups (P<0.05). In liver, LXRα levels of Hsuc and Hfru groups were upregulated as 1.87±0.30 (P<0.05) and 2.01±0.29 (P<0.01). SREBP-1c levels were upregulated as 4.52±1.25 (P<0.05); 4.05±1.11 (P<0.05) and 3.85±1.04 (P<0.05) in Hfat, Hsuc, and Hfru groups, respectively. In skeletal muscle, LXRα and SREBP-1c were upregulated as 1.77±0.30 (P<0.05) and 2.71±0.56 (P<0.05), in the Hfru group. Protein levels of ChREBP (33.92±8.84ng/mg protein (P<0.05)) and SREBP-1c (135.16±15.57ng/mg protein (P<0.001)) in liver were higher in Hfru group. In skeletal muscle, LXRα, ChREBP and SREBP-1c in Hfru group were 6.67±0.60, 7.11±1.29 and 43.17±6.37ng/mg, respectively (P<0.05; P<0.01; P<0.05). The rats in Hfru group had the most damaged livers.

Conclusion: Besides liver, fructose consumption significantly effects skeletal muscle and leads to weight gain, triggers lipogenesis and metabolic disorders.

Keywords: Fatty liver; Fructose; Gene expression; Lipogenesis; Metabolism of skeletal muscle.