Fructose- or
sucrose-rich diets can cause
insulin resistance and increase the risk of
cardiovascular disease.
Adipokines are correlated with the development of these diseases in
obesity. We hypothesize that
fructose and
sucrose induce
insulin resistance via effects on
adipokine gene expression in adipocytes. This study analyzed the effect of
fructose or
glucose on
adiponectin,
haptoglobin, and
angiotensinogen gene expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Ten days after differentiation, the cells were pretreated with serum- and
glucose-free medium. Twenty-four hours later,
fructose or
glucose (0, 5, 10, or 20 mmol) was added into the medium, and the cells were collected after a further 24 hours.
Adiponectin,
haptoglobin, and
angiotensinogen gene expression were determined.
Adiponectin gene expression increased when 10 or 20 mmol
glucose was added compared with that observed for the non-
hexose-treated cells. A similar effect occurred when 5 mmol
fructose was added.
Glucose (10 mmol) and
fructose (20 mmol) stimulated
haptoglobin gene expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes compared with 0 mmol, with
glucose producing a more pronounced effect. Although 20 mmol
fructose caused an increase in
angiotensinogen gene expression,
glucose did not. In conclusion, in this study of 2
hexoses revealed an increase in
adiponectin gene expression, suggesting that the effect of a
glucose-rich diet on the development of
insulin resistance is not related to the effect of these
hexoses on adipocyte
adiponectin gene expression. However,
insulin resistance and
cardiovascular disease promoted by
fructose-rich diets could be partially related to the effect of
fructose on
adiponectin and
angiotensinogen gene expression.