Effect of glucose or fructose feeding on cholesterol synthesis in diabetic animals

Previous studies have demonstrated that cholesterol synthesis is increased twofold in the small intestines of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of adding glucose or fructose to standard rat chow on cholesterol synthesis in control and diabetic rats. In control rats a 25% glucose or fructose diet fed for 21 days markedly inhibited hepatic cholesterol synthesis in the liver. In contrast, in diabetic animals only fructose inhibited hepatic cholesterol synthesis. In both control and diabetic animals the addition of these simple sugars to the diet did not markedly alter extrahepatic cholesterol synthesis. The enhancement of small intestinal cholesterol synthesis observed in diabetic animals was present regardless of the dietary manipulations. Further studies demonstrated that the addition of smaller concentrations of fructose (10%) to standard rat chow decreased hepatic cholesterol synthesis in both control and diabetic rats. Similarly the addition of fructose to the diet of control and diabetics for a period as short as 2 days was also sufficient to inhibit hepatic cholesterol synthesis. In both control and diabetic animals, fructose feeding decreased hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity but did not alter the percentage of HMG-CoA reductase in the active form. Finally, the intestinal hypertrophy and stimulation of intestinal cholesterogenesis that are characteristic of streptozotocin-induced diabetes occurred when either glucose or fructose was the sole caloric source.