Maternal fructose boosts the effects of a Western-type diet increasing SARS-COV-2 cell entry factors in male offspring

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2022.105366Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Fructose-rich foods could place people at an increased risk for severe COVID-19.

  • Maternal fructose produces a fetal programming that increases hepatic viral protection.

  • Fructose-fed motherś offspring taking fructose displayed elevated protease TMPRSS2.

  • Maternal fructose exacerbates Western-diet-diminished SARS-CoV2 protection.

Abstract

Fructose-rich beverages and foods consumption correlates with the epidemic rise in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. Severity of COVID-19 has been related to these metabolic diseases. Fructose-rich foods could place people at an increased risk for severe COVID-19. We investigated whether maternal fructose intake in offspring affects hepatic and ileal gene expression of proteins that permit SARS-CoV2 entry to the cell. Carbohydrates were supplied to pregnant rats in drinking water. Adult and young male descendants subjected to water, liquid fructose alone or as a part of a Western diet, were studied. Maternal fructose reduced hepatic SARS-CoV2 entry factors expression in older offspring. On the contrary, maternal fructose boosted the Western diet-induced increase in viral entry factors expression in ileum of young descendants. Maternal fructose intake produced a fetal programming that increases hepatic viral protection and, in contrast, exacerbates fructose plus cholesterol-induced diminution in SARS-CoV2 protection in small intestine of progeny.

Keywords

Fructose
Fetal programming
SARS-CoV-2
Liver
Ileum
Cholesterol

Abbreviations

ADAM17
ADAM metallopeptidase domain 17
ACE2
angiotensin-converting enzyme 2
HDL
high-density lipoprotein
SRB1
HDL-scavenger receptor B type 1
HFCS
high fructose corn syrup
MetS
metabolic syndrome
NAFLD
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
SARS-CoV-2
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2
SSB
sugar-sweetened beverages
TMPRSS2
transmembrane protease serine 2
T2DM
type 2 diabetes

Data availability

Data will be made available on request.

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