» Articles » PMID: 29191195

Maternal Dietary Free or Bound Fructose Diversely Influence Developmental Programming of Lipogenesis

Overview
Publisher Biomed Central
Date 2017 Dec 2
PMID 29191195
Citations 5
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

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.

Citing Articles

Fructose Consumption in Pregnancy and Associations with Maternal and Offspring Hepatic and Whole-Body Adiposity in Rodents: A Scoping Review.

Zhao G, Chondon S, Gray C, Gentili S, Stanley M, Regnault T Curr Dev Nutr. 2025; 9(1):104510.

PMID: 39896731 PMC: 11782591. DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.104510.


The Effect of Boric Acid on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis in Embryonic and Fetal Tissues Damage Caused by Consumption of High-Fructose Corn Syrup in Pregnant Rats.

Basegmez M, Yuksel D Reprod Sci. 2025; 32(2):514-525.

PMID: 39821796 PMC: 11825574. DOI: 10.1007/s43032-025-01792-z.


Quinoa ( Willd.) supplemented cafeteria diet ameliorates glucose intolerance in rats.

Ozcaliskan Ilkay H, Karabulut D, Kamaci Ozocak G, Mehmetbeyoglu E, Kaymak E, Kisioglu B Food Sci Nutr. 2023; 11(11):6920-6930.

PMID: 37970433 PMC: 10630841. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3603.


Parental overnutrition by carbohydrates in developmental origins of metabolic syndrome.

Seda O Physiol Res. 2022; 70(Suppl4):S585-S596.

PMID: 35199545 PMC: 9054190. DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.934806.


Consuming Sucrose- or HFCS-sweetened Beverages Increases Hepatic Lipid and Decreases Insulin Sensitivity in Adults.

Sigala D, Hieronimus B, Medici V, Lee V, Nunez M, Bremer A J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2021; 106(11):3248-3264.

PMID: 34265055 PMC: 8530743. DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab508.


References
1.
David Wang D, Sievenpiper J, de Souza R, Chiavaroli L, Ha V, Cozma A . The effects of fructose intake on serum uric acid vary among controlled dietary trials. J Nutr. 2012; 142(5):916-23. PMC: 3327749. DOI: 10.3945/jn.111.151951. View

2.
Yang Q, Zhang Z, Gregg E, Flanders W, Merritt R, Hu F . Added sugar intake and cardiovascular diseases mortality among US adults. JAMA Intern Med. 2014; 174(4):516-24. PMC: 10910551. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13563. View

3.
Tappy L, Le K . Metabolic effects of fructose and the worldwide increase in obesity. Physiol Rev. 2010; 90(1):23-46. DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00019.2009. View

4.
Livesey G, Brown J . Whole body metabolism is not restricted to D-sugars because energy metabolism of L-sugars fits a computational model in rats. J Nutr. 1995; 125(12):3020-9. DOI: 10.1093/jn/125.12.3020. View

5.
Johnson R, Perez-Pozo S, Sautin Y, Manitius J, Sanchez-Lozada L, Feig D . Hypothesis: could excessive fructose intake and uric acid cause type 2 diabetes?. Endocr Rev. 2009; 30(1):96-116. PMC: 2647706. DOI: 10.1210/er.2008-0033. View