Coffee Pulp and Silverskin Mitigate Fructose-Induced Intestinal Alterations in Rats

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Nutritional Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Excessive fructose consumption is linked to metabolic syndrome (MS).
• Intestinal changes, including altered gene expression and gut microbiota, are key features of fructose-induced metabolic dysfunction.
• Coffee by-products are rich in bioactive compounds with potential health benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of coffee pulp (CP) and coffee silverskin (SK) on fructose-induced intestinal alterations in a rat model.
• To assess the impact of CP and SK on intestinal gene expression, morphology, and gut microbiota composition.
• To determine if these coffee by-products can mitigate the negative effects of high fructose intake.

Main Methods:

• Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups and treated for 10 weeks with control, fructose (FRU), CP, CP + FRU, SK, or SK + FRU.
• CP and SK were administered orally at 250 mg/kg/day.
• Intestinal morphology, gene expression (RT-qPCR), and gut microbiota (16S rRNA sequencing) were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Fructose increased jejunal expression of glucose transporters (SGLT1, GLUT2) and sweet taste receptors (TAS1R2, TAS1R3), which were reversed by CP and SK.
• CP and SK normalized fructose-induced changes in sugar sensing and absorption-related genes, with SK also preventing overexpression of SREBP-1c and ChREBP.
• Both by-products restored microbial richness and alpha diversity, while CP also modulated beta diversity and increased Blautia genus abundance.

Conclusions:

• Coffee pulp (CP) and coffee silverskin (SK) effectively reversed fructose-induced intestinal alterations in rats.
• These coffee by-products normalized key gene expressions related to sugar sensing and absorption in the jejunum.
• CP and SK demonstrate potential as natural agents to mitigate fructose-induced metabolic disturbances and modulate gut microbiota.