Fructose consumption influence on lipid profile, lipoprotein subfractions and development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

• Grant number: 22/03738-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2022
• End date: May 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutrition Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Nágila Raquel Teixeira Damasceno
• Grantee: Fernanda Marques Rodrigues
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic disease and is characterized by the triacylglycerols accumulation in hepatocytes. Hepatic steatosis is considered one of the main causes of chronic liver disease and the hepatic component of the metabolic syndrome (MS), along with the presence of obesity and insulin resistance (IR). Excess fructose consumed in the form of added sugar, widely available in the food industry, can be stored in the liver and other organs, contributing to the formation of central or abdominal fat. Therefore, the hypothesis of the present project is that the high consumption of fructose will promote changes in metabolism that will negatively impact hepatic fat accumulation and the development of hepatic steatosis. Objective: Evaluate the role of fructose in lipid markers and in the development of hepatic steatosis. Methodology: The experimental study will have a follow-up of 100 days, in which 12 rats will be allocated into two groups: control (G1, n=6) and high-fructose diet (G2, n=6). During the follow-up, the variation in weight (grams) and length of the animals (cm); water and diets consumption; plasma glucose and fructose concentrations (commercial colorimetric kit); plasma lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL-c, triglycerides, HDL-c) and lipoprotein subfractions (LDL and HDL); as well as hepatic fatty acid (FA) profile. The results will be analyzed using the SPSS v23.0 program, with the choice of tests depending on the variable's distribution type. The significance level adopted will be p<0.05 for all tests.(AU)