Dietary d-allulose alters cholesterol metabolism in Golden Syrian hamsters partly by reducing serum PCSK9 levels

• Published in: Journal of functional foods Vol. 60; p. 103429
• Main Authors: Kanasaki, Akane, Jiang, Zhe, Mizokami, Takuya, Shirouchi, Bungo, Iida, Tetsuo, Nagata, Yasuo, Sato, Masao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2019; Elsevier
• Subjects: d-Allulose; Hamsters; LDL/HDL ratio; PCSK9; d-Allulose; CETP; AST; SREBP; HFD; LXR; MTP; PCSK9; ALT; Hamsters; LDL/HDL ratio; NPC1L1; ND; IDOL; CD36; GC-FID; γ-GTP
• ISSN: 1756-4646; 2214-9414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2019.103429

[Display omitted] •Dietary d-allulose modulated the cholesterol profiles of hamster lipoproteins.•d-Allulose reduced serum PCSK9, a negative regulator of LDL-cholesterol levels.•The LDL/HDL ratio, an atherogenic index, decreased after d-allulose ingestion.•d-Allulose could improve cholesterol metabolism and reduce atherosclerosis risk. d-Allulose, a C-3 epimer of d-fructose, is a rare sugar reported to be a non-caloric sweetener having several health beneficial effects including anti-hyperglycemia and anti-obesity. However, the impact of dietary d-allulose on cholesterol metabolism remains unclear. Therefore, we studied the effects of d-allulose on the cholesterol metabolism of Golden Syrian hamsters, an animal model with a lipid metabolism similar to that of humans. Hamsters received either normal diet (ND) or high-fat diet (HFD) with or without 3% d-allulose for 4 or 8 weeks. While there were no significant differences in total serum cholesterol levels between the groups, d-allulose significantly increased HDL-cholesterol levels in ND-fed hamsters and decreased LDL-cholesterol levels in HFD-fed hamsters, causing an overall decrease in the LDL/HDL ratio. Furthermore, dietary d-allulose decreased serum proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels in both diets. In conclusion, d-allulose may favorably modulate cholesterol metabolism by reducing PCSK9 in hamsters.