O efeito do consumo crônico de bebida açucarada no eixo intestino-cérebro de camundongos C57BL/6

Abstract

The increased consumption of meals rich in fat and refined carbohydrates promotes the development of metabolic changes and induces inflammation in adipose and lymphoid organs, termed as metainflammation. Moreover, this dietary pattern has recently been correlated with the development of psychiatric disorders and inflammatory bowel diseases. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are highly consumed and contain high levels of glucose and fructose, making them a primary source of added sugar in Western diets. We aimed to investigate whether chronic SSB consumption could trigger intestinal and behavioral alterations. To test this hypothesis, we employed an experimental model using C57BL/6 mice fed an AIN93G diet supplemented with either a sugary drink (30% mixture of glucose and fructose in a 45:55 ratio) or filtered water. Anxiety-like behavior, metabolism, and intestinal disorders were evaluated at the 8th week. Mice receiving SSB did not exhibit differences in weight gain but showed higher fasting glycemia. Additionally, they demonstrated reduced anxiety-like behavior and increased compulsive behaviors as assessed by the light/dark test and marble test, respectively. However, no differences in mesenteric lymph node cell populations were observed using flow cytometry. After inducing colitis with 1% DSS, mice consuming SSB showed more severe disease outcomes following chronic sugar consumption. This included worse clinical scores with increased weight loss, diarrhea, and bleeding, as well as more severe inflammatory scores based on histological parameters and altered microbiota. The SSB consumption drives reduced mesenteric lymph node cell populations. Furthermore, PCR analysis revealed alterations in epithelial cell renewal molecules mRNA expression. In conclusion, our findings suggest that chronic consumption of SSB affects behavior, induces metabolic changes, and exacerbates inflammatory bowel disease in C57BL/6 mice.