Natural Sugar Defends Against Metabolic Syndrome, in Mice (IMAGE)
Caption
A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that the natural sugar trehalose blocks glucose from getting into the liver and turns on a gene, Aloxe3, that improves insulin sensitivity and other measures of metabolic syndrome, including reducing fatty liver disease. Mice fed a typical chow diet show a healthy liver (left panel). Mice fed a high-trans-fat, high-cholesterol diet for 12 weeks show large fatty deposits in the liver (red staining in middle panel). Mice fed the same high-trans-fat, high-cholesterol diet and that have the gene Aloxe3 turned on at high levels show smaller fatty deposits, suggesting protection from metabolic syndrome.
Credit
Brian DeBosch
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