Increase of obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in U.S. coincided with replacing sucrose (S) with HFCS: blend of 55% fructose (F) and 42% glucose (G). Both obesity and CKD associate with gut dysbiosis. Given that S is not utilized by all gut bacteria, microbiota may differ with ingestion of free or bound F and G. We aimed to compare effects of S vs. F and G on the gut contents of Akkermansia muciniphila-bacterium reported to improve host metabolic health, and serum Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1), tubular injury marker shown to predict CKD.
Male 4-week old Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to 16 weeks of unlimited access to standard chow and 5% solution of S (S group) or 5% solution of 55%F and 45%G blend (55F/45G) or tap water (W).
Fluid intake and urine volume were higher in S or 55F/45G rats and F accounted for ∼10% of their caloric intake. Interestingly, in these animals serum triglyceride concentration was lower, while serum total protein and albumin were higher than in controls (table). On the other hand, serum KIM-1 was significantly lower and fecal A. muciniphila much more abundant in S than in 55F/45G or W.
Intake of S solution in rats, as opposed to free F and G or just regular chow, increases the gut contents of A. muciniphila and appears to improve condition of renal tubulointerstitium. If present in humans, this may account for obesity and CKD increase following S replacement by HFCS.
| S (n=20) | 55F/45G (n=17) | W (n=16) | |
| Final body weight [g] 24h urine volume [mL] | 444.1±30.6 40.4±46.2^ | 425.2±41.7 22.3±24.6^ | 457.9±66.3 9.5±3.5 |
| Serum glucose [mmol/L] Serum uric acid [μmol/L] | 7.58±1.05 43.1±10.2 | 7.47±1.12 45.0±16.7 | 7.82±0.75 49.4±20.5 |
| Serum cholesterol [mmol/L] Serum triglycerides [mmol/L] | 1.02±0.13 0.31±0.14^ | 1.06±0.22 0.29±0.18^ | 1.02±0.13 0.46±0.17 |
| Serum total protein [g/dL] Serum albumin [g/dL] | 6.95±0.41^ 1.96±0.14^ | 6.74±0.41^ 1.93±0.11^ | 6.30±0.37 1.71±0.11 |
| Serum KIM-1 [pg/mL]1 | 162.8±34.0*^ | 212.0±64.3 | 218.3±43.7 |
| Fecal Akkermansia muciniphila [%]2 | 2.30±2.57*^ | 0.14±0.23 | 0.64±1.49 |
| S (n=20) | 55F/45G (n=17) | W (n=16) | |
| Final body weight [g] 24h urine volume [mL] | 444.1±30.6 40.4±46.2^ | 425.2±41.7 22.3±24.6^ | 457.9±66.3 9.5±3.5 |
| Serum glucose [mmol/L] Serum uric acid [μmol/L] | 7.58±1.05 43.1±10.2 | 7.47±1.12 45.0±16.7 | 7.82±0.75 49.4±20.5 |
| Serum cholesterol [mmol/L] Serum triglycerides [mmol/L] | 1.02±0.13 0.31±0.14^ | 1.06±0.22 0.29±0.18^ | 1.02±0.13 0.46±0.17 |
| Serum total protein [g/dL] Serum albumin [g/dL] | 6.95±0.41^ 1.96±0.14^ | 6.74±0.41^ 1.93±0.11^ | 6.30±0.37 1.71±0.11 |
| Serum KIM-1 [pg/mL]1 | 162.8±34.0*^ | 212.0±64.3 | 218.3±43.7 |
| Fecal Akkermansia muciniphila [%]2 | 2.30±2.57*^ | 0.14±0.23 | 0.64±1.49 |
Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA with Mann-Whitney U test as post-hoc: *P<0.vs. 55F/45G; ^P<0.vs. W 1serum KIM-1 assessed with ELISA (R&D Systems) 2gut flora composition assessed with quantitative analysis of fecal DNA encoding bacterial 16S rRNA (Illumina HiSeq)
G. Wystrychowski: Employee; Self; DaVita Poland. E. Pikulska-Chrobak: None. J. Wojcik: None. M. Kozubska: None. W. Trautsolt: Other Relationship; Self; Bayer AG, Novo Nordisk A/S. S. Gorczynska-Kosiorz: Other Relationship; Self; Bayer AG, Novo Nordisk A/S. R. Kuźniewicz: Other Relationship; Self; Roche Pharma. E. Zukowska-Szczechowska: Employee; Self; Fresenius Medical Care. W. Grzeszczak: Speaker's Bureau; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Bioton, Merck & Co., Inc., Novo Nordisk A/S. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Bayer AG. A. Wystrychowski: Other Relationship; Self; Roche Pharma.
