PUBLICATION

Aspartame-fed zebrafish exhibit acute deaths with swimming defects and saccharin-fed zebrafish have elevation of cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity in hypercholesterolemia

Authors
Kim, J.Y., Seo, J., and Cho, K.H.
ID
ZDB-PUB-110823-16
Date
2011
Source
Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association   49(11): 2899-905 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
aspartame, saccharin, brain, cholesteryl ester transfer protein, lipid, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Zebrafish
  • Diet
  • Cholesterol Ester Transfer Proteins/metabolism*
  • Blood Glucose
  • Sweetening Agents/toxicity
  • Hypercholesterolemia/chemically induced*
  • Hypercholesterolemia/mortality
  • Animals
  • Saccharin/toxicity*
  • Aspartame/toxicity*
  • Cholesterol, Dietary/adverse effects*
  • Swimming*
PubMed
21855599 Full text @ Food Chem. Toxicol.
Abstract
Although many artificial sweeteners (AS) have safety issues, the AS have been widely used in industry. To determine the physiologic effect of AS in the presence of hyperlipidemia, zebrafish were fed aspartame or saccharin with a high-cholesterol diet (HCD). After 14 days, 30% of zebrafish, which consumed aspartame and HCD, died with exhibiting swimming defects. The aspartame group had 65% survivability, while the control and saccharin groups had 100% survivability. Under HCD, the saccharin-fed groups had the highest increase in the serum cholesterol level (599 mg/dL). Aspartame-fed group showed a remarkable increase in serum glucose (up to 125 mg/dL), which was 58% greater than the increase in the HCD alone group. The saccharin and HCD groups had the highest cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity (52% CE-transfer), while the HCD alone group had 42% CE-transfer. Histologic analysis revealed that the aspartame and HCD groups showed more infiltration of inflammatory cells in the brain and liver sections. Conclusively, under presence of hyperlipidemia, aspartame-fed zebrafish exhibited acute swimming defects with an increase in brain inflammation. Saccharin-fed zebrafish had an increased atherogenic serum lipid profile with elevation of CETP activity.
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