Diets enriched with dried fruits enhance hepatic lipid accumulation in mice

• Published in: Aktuelle Ernährungsmedizin
• Main Authors: Ritze, Y, Bárdos, G, Rolke, C, Saum, K, Bischoff, SC
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: 10.07.2012
• ISSN: 0341-0501; 1438-9916
• DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1312555

Background: The dramatic rise of obesity is assumed to correlate with an increased fructose intake in the last decades. The question is whether fructose in fruit has the same effects as free fructose since not only the consumption of sweets and sweetened beverages but also of fruit and fruit juices has increased. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of free fructose or fructose in dried mango or raisins on the gastrointestinal tract and the liver in mice. Methods: C57BL/6-mice were divided into 5 groups (n=6 per group) and were fed either purified control diet, 18% free fructose in diet, 18% fructose in dried mango (60% of diet), 23% free fructose in diet, or 23% fructose in raisins (60% of diet) for 8 weeks. Energy and water intake, as well as body and liver weight, were determined. The mRNA expression of the weight regulating hormones nesfatin-1, ghrelin, PYY, and CCK was measured in the duodenum. Furthermore, the influence of free fructose or fructose in diet enriched with dried fruit on hepatic lipid accumulation was measured. Results: Our preliminary results show that the energy intake increased in mice, fed free fructose in diet or fructose in dried mango and raisins in diet compared to control mice. 23% free fructose in diet resulted in an increased body weight compared to control mice. Moreover, feeding 23% fructose in raisins led to an increased nesfatin-1 mRNA expression compared to controls. The mRNA expression of the orexigenic hormone ghrelin was increased after feeding 18% fructose in mango in diet compared to mice fed 18% free fructose in diet. Liver weight was increased after feeding 18% fructose in mango in diet compared to controls. Feeding 18% fructose in mango in diet and 23% fructose in raisins in diet increased the hepatic lipid accumulation compared to controls and to mice fed 18% or 23% free fructose in diet. Only minor changes of PYY and CCK were observed after feeding the different fructose-rich diets. Discussion: Since feeding fructose in mango and raisins resulted in an increased hepatic lipid accumulation compared to mice that were fed free fructose the ingredients of dried mangos and raisins should be analyzed and quantified in order to assess the effects of these fruit compounds on the gastrointestinal tract.