Consumption of Diet Soda Sweetened with Sucralose and Acesulfame-Potassium Alters Inflammatory Transcriptome Pathways in Females with Overweight and Obesity

Mol Nutr Food Res. 2020 Jun;64(11):e1901166. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201901166. Epub 2020 May 5.

Abstract

Scope: Low-calorie sweetener (LCS) consumption is associated with metabolic disease in observational studies. However, physiologic mechanisms underlying LCS-induced metabolic impairments in humans are unclear. This study is aimed at identifying molecular pathways in adipose impacted by LCSs.

Methods and results: Seven females with overweight or obesity, who did not report LCS use, consumed 12 ounces of diet soda containing sucralose and acesulfame-potassium (Ace-K) three times daily for 8 weeks. A subcutaneous adipose biopsy from the left abdomen and a fasting blood sample were collected at baseline and post-intervention. Global gene expression were assessed using RNA-sequencing followed by functional pathway analysis. No differences in circulating metabolic or inflammatory biomarkers were observed. However, ANOVA detected 828 differentially expressed annotated genes after diet soda consumption (p < 0.05), including transcripts for inflammatory cytokines. Fifty-eight of 140 canonical pathways represented in pathway analyses regulated inflammation, and several key upstream regulators of inflammation (e.g., TNF-alpha) were also represented.

Conclusion: Consumption of diet soda with sucralose and Ace-K alters inflammatory transcriptomic pathways (e.g., NF-κB signaling) in subcutaneous adipose tissue but does not significantly alter circulating biomarkers. Findings highlight the need to examine molecular and metabolic effects of LCS exposure in a larger randomized control trial for a longer duration.

Keywords: artificial sweeteners; diet soda; inflammation; metabolism; obesity; sucralose.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / drug effects*
  • Adipose Tissue / physiology
  • Artificially Sweetened Beverages / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / physiopathology
  • Panniculitis / chemically induced
  • Panniculitis / immunology
  • Panniculitis / metabolism
  • Sucrose / adverse effects
  • Sucrose / analogs & derivatives*
  • Sweetening Agents / adverse effects
  • Thiazines / adverse effects*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Sweetening Agents
  • Thiazines
  • Sucrose
  • trichlorosucrose
  • acetosulfame