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Physiology and Biochemistry

Parental fructose consumption induces early baroreflex dysfunction in offspring: impact on arterial pressure and on insulin resistance

International Journal of Obesity volume 48, pages 284–287 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Fructose overconsumption is a worldwide trend, and it has been found to cause metabolic disorders in parents and their offspring. Additionally, metabolic syndrome has been closely associated with increased cardiovascular risk. In this study, we hypothesized that the chronic fructose consumption by parents could trigger autonomic dysfunction and cardiometabolic disorders in their offspring. Wistar rats undergo an intake of 10% of fructose in drinking water or regular water for 60 days before mating. Their offspring, control (C) and fructose (F) groups, were evaluated 30 days after weaning. Lower birth weight, increased levels of blood triglycerides and insulin resistance were observed in F compared to C group. The offspring of the fructose parents showed increased mean arterial pressure (C: 104 ± 1 vs. F: 111 ± 2 mmHg) and baroreflex sensitivity impairment, characterized by reduced bradycardic (C: −1.6 ± 0.06 vs. F: −1.3 ± 0.06 bpm/mmHg) and tachycardic responses (C: −4.0 ± 0.1 vs. F: −3.1 ± 0.2 bpm/mmHg). Finally, a higher baroreflex-induced tachycardia was associated with lower insulin tolerance (r = −0.55, P < 0.03) and higher systolic arterial pressure (r = 0.54, P < 0.02). In conclusion, our findings indicate that the excessive consumption of fructose by parents is associated with early autonomic, cardiovascular, and metabolic derangement in the offspring, favoring an increased cardiometabolic risk when they reach adulthood.

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Fig. 1: Baroreflex sensitivity and correlations in studied groups.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This study was supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE) from Brazil and the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP 2018/17183-4; 2022/04050-1). KDA and MCI are recipients of a CNPq Fellowship (CNPq-BPQ).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Program in Translational Medicine, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Camila Paixão dos Santos, Amanda Aparecida Araujo, Tânia Plens Shecaira & Kátia De Angelis

  2. Laboratory of Translational Physiology, Universidade Nove de Julho , Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Antonio Viana do Nascimento-Filho, Deiwet Ribeiro Silva & Kátia De Angelis

  3. Postgraduate Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Maranhao, Sao Luis, Brazil

    Danielle da Silva Dias

  4. Heart Institute (Incor), University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Danielle da Silva Dias & Maria Cláudia Irigoyen

  5. Human Movement Laboratory, Sao Judas Tadeu University, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Nathalia Bernardes

Authors
  1. Camila Paixão dos Santos
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Contributions

CP, contributed to the acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, statistical analysis and draft the manuscript; ANV contributed to acquisition and analysis of data and revised version of the manuscript; AAA and NB contributed to acquisition and analysis of data and draft the manuscript; DdSD, TPS and DRS contributed to acquisition and analysis of data; KDA and MCI contributed to conception and design of the work, analysis, and interpretation of data, statistical analysis and draft the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Kátia De Angelis.

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dos Santos, C.P., Nascimento-Filho, A.V.d., Araujo, A.A. et al. Parental fructose consumption induces early baroreflex dysfunction in offspring: impact on arterial pressure and on insulin resistance. Int J Obes 48, 284–287 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-023-01409-y

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