Endocrine Abstracts

Objectives: Chronic consumption of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) causes several problems like insulin resistance. The goal of the study was to investigate pancreatic damages induced by chronic HFCS consumption and protective effects of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on pancreatic cells.

Methods: Wistar Albino, 4 months old, female rats and weighing 250–300 g were randomly distributed into three groups each containing eight rats. Groups were HFCS group, HFCS+ALA administered group and control group (CON). The prepared 30% solution of HFCS (F30) (24% fructose, 28% dextrose) was given in drinking water for 10 weeks. ALA treatment started 4 weeks later to first HFCS administration (100 mg/kg per oral, last 6 weeks). Rats were anesthetized and euthanized by cervical dislocation 24 h after the last ALA administration. Blood samples for biochemical (Amylase, Lipase, MDA, CAT) and tissue samples for histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations (Caspase-3, insulin and glucagon) were collected.

Results: Comparing the control and HFCS groups; serum glucose (150.92±39.77 and 236.50±18.28 respectively, P<0.05), amylase (2165.00±150.76 and 3027.66±729.19 respectively, P<0.01), lipase (5.58±2.22 and 11.51±2.74 respectively, P<0.01) and pancreatic tissue MDA (0.0167±0.004 and 0.0193±0.006; respectively, P<0.05) levels were increased while tissue CAT (0.0924±0.029 and 0.0359±0.023 respectively, P<0.05) activity decreased in HFCS group significantly. Histopathological examination revealed degenerative and necrotic changes in Langerhans islet cells, slight inflammatory cell infiltration in pancreatic tissue in HFCF group. Immunohistochemically significantly decrease in insulin (2.85±0.37 and 0.87±0.64 respectively, P<0.001) and glucagon (2.71±0.48 and 1.00±0.75 respectively, P<0.001) secreted cell while increase in caspase-3 (0.14±0.37 and 1.00±0.75 respectively, P<0.05) expression were seen in this group compared the controls. In ALA treated group all of these pathologic conditions were improved.

Conclusions: This study indicated that HFCS induced pancreatic lesions but ALA has ameliorative effects.

Keywords: High fructose corn syrup, oxidative stress, pancreas pathology, alpha lipoic acid