Short-Term Exposure to High Sucrose Levels near Weaning Has a Similar Long-Lasting Effect on Hypertension as a Long-Term Exposure in Rats

Abstract

Adverse conditions during early developmental stages permanently modify the metabolic function of organisms through epigenetic changes. Exposure to high sugar diets during gestation and/or lactation affects susceptibility to metabolic syndrome or hypertension in adulthood. The effect of a high sugar diet for shorter time lapses remains unclear. Here we studied the effect of short-term sucrose ingestion near weaning (postnatal days 12 and 28) (STS) and its effect after long-term ingestion, for a period of seven months (LTS) in rats. Rats receiving sucrose for seven months develop metabolic syndrome (MS). The mechanisms underlying hypertension in this model and those that underlie the effects of short-term exposure have not been studied. We explore NO and endothelin-1 concentration, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression, fatty acid participation and the involvement of oxidative stress (OS) after LTS and STS. Blood pressure increased to similar levels in adult rats that received sucrose during short- and long-term glucose exposure. The endothelin-1 concentration increased only in LTS rats. eNOS and SOD2 expression determined by Western blot and total antioxidant capacity were diminished in both groups. Saturated fatty acids and arachidonic acid were only decreased in LTS rats. In conclusion, a high-sugar diet during STS increases the hypertension predisposition in adulthood to as high a level as LTS, and the mechanisms involved have similarities (participation of OS and eNOS and SOD expression) and differences (fatty acids and arachidonic acid only participate in LTS and an elevated level of endothelin-1 was only found in LTS) in both conditions. Changes in the diet during short exposure times in early developmental stages have long-lasting effects in determining hypertension susceptibility.

Effect of a Resveratrol/Quercetin Mixture on the Reversion of Hypertension Induced by a Short-Term Exposure to High Sucrose Levels Near Weaning and a Long-Term Exposure That Leads to Metabolic Syndrome in Rats

“…In the present study, we found that eNOS expression decreased in the experimental groups that received sucrose for a short-and long-term period. This result is in agreement with findings presented in another paper from our group [2]. Several authors have reported that increases in SIRT1 expression are directly related to the expression and activity of eNOS; however, SIRT1 expression was only increased in the MS aortas in our experiments.…”

“…The blood pressure was increased in both the SSP and MS rats. Hypertension in these groups had already been reported [2,3]. The increase in blood pressure was reversed by the RSV/QSC treatment and the blood pressure decreased in 17% in the SSP group and 11% in the MS group.…”

“…In this study, we analyzed the reversion of sucrose-induced hypertension induced by an RSV/QSC mixture in two models that lead to hypertension; long-term exposure that leads to MS [3] and a short sucrose ingestion near weaning that programs the development of hypertension in adults [2]. We studied the mixture's action on SIRT1 and SIRT3 expression, which modulates eNOS expression and oxidative stress through the regulation of SOD1 and SOD2, respectively.…”

“…The difference between the values of TC and HDL-C defines the non-HDL-C in which LDLC, IDL, and VLDL are included. Non-HDL-C is now commonly used as a marker for a blood lipid profile which is associated with an elevated risk of heart disease [2,36].…”

“…Sucrose ingestion has been related to the development of hypertension. We have previously reported that sucrose administered during a short period near weaning in rats (postnatal days 12 to 28) (SSP rats) increases the risk of developing hypertension when the organisms reach adulthood [2]. We have also reported that sucrose ingestion for 6 months after weaning in rats results in MS which is accompanied by a high blood pressure [3].…”