Integrated omics analysis for characterization of the contribution of high fructose corn syrup to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obesity

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Grigorios Papadopoulos - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Aigli Ioanna Legaki - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Konstantina Georgila - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Panagiotis Vorkas - , Centre for Research and Technology Thessaly (Author)
  • Eirini Giannousi - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • George Stamatakis - , Alexander Fleming Biomedical Sciences Research Center (Author)
  • Ioannis I. Moustakas - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Maria Petrocheilou - , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH) (Author)
  • Iryna Pyrina - , Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Bettina Gercken - , TUD Dresden University of Technology, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (Author)
  • Eva Kassi - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Triantafyllos Chavakis - , Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Ioannis S. Pateras - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • George Panayotou - , Alexander Fleming Biomedical Sciences Research Center (Author)
  • Helen Gika - , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH) (Author)
  • Martina Samiotaki - , Alexander Fleming Biomedical Sciences Research Center (Author)
  • Aristides G. Eliopoulos - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Academy of Athens (Author)
  • Antonios Chatzigeorgiou - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (Author)

Abstract

Background: High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), a sweetener rich in glucose and fructose, is nowadays widely used in beverages and processed foods; its consumption has been correlated to the emergence and progression of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms by which HFCS impacts hepatic metabolism remain scarce, especially in the context of obesity. Besides, the majority of current studies focuses either on the detrimental role of fructose in hepatic steatosis or compare separately the additive impact of fructose versus glucose in high fat diet-induced NAFLD. Aim: By engaging combined omics approaches, we sought to characterize the role of HFCS in obesity-associated NAFLD and reveal molecular processes, which mediate the exaggeration of steatosis under these conditions. Methods: Herein, C57BL/6 mice were fed a normal-fat-diet (ND), a high-fat-diet (HFD) or a HFD supplemented with HFCS (HFD-HFCS) and upon examination of their metabolic and NAFLD phenotype, proteomic, lipidomic and metabolomic analyses were conducted to identify HFCS-related molecular alterations of the hepatic metabolic landscape in obesity. Results: Although HFD and HFD-HFCS mice displayed comparable obesity, HFD-HFCS mice showed aggravation of hepatic steatosis, as analysis of the lipid droplet area in liver sections revealed (12,15 % of total section area in HFD vs 22,35 % in HFD-HFCS), increased NAFLD activity score (3,29 in HFD vs 4,86 in HFD-HFCS) and deteriorated hepatic insulin resistance, as compared to the HFD mice. Besides, the hepatic proteome of HFD-HFCS mice was characterized by a marked upregulation of 5 core proteins implicated in de novo lipogenesis (DNL), while an increased phosphatidyl-cholines(PC)/phosphatidyl-ethanolamines(PE) ratio (2.01 in HFD vs 3.04 in HFD-HFCS) was observed in the livers of HFD-HFCS versus HFD mice. Integrated analysis of the omics datasets indicated that Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle overactivation is likely contributing towards the intensification of steatosis during HFD-HFCS-induced NAFLD. Conclusion: Our results imply that HFCS significantly contributes to steatosis aggravation during obesity-related NAFLD, likely deriving from DNL upregulation, accompanied by TCA cycle overactivation and deteriorated hepatic insulin resistance.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number155552
Number of pages14
JournalMetabolism: Clinical and Experimental
Volume144
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 36996933
WOS 000990736200001
unpaywall 10.1016/j.metabol.2023.155552

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • De novo lipogenesis, Germany, High fructose corn syrup, Lipidomics, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Obesity, Proteomics, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects, Insulin Resistance/genetics, Obesity/genetics, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/genetics, Animals, Fructose/adverse effects, Liver/metabolism, High Fructose Corn Syrup/adverse effects, Glucose/metabolism, Mice

Library keywords