Background The rise in consumption of refined sugars high in fructose appears to be an important factor contributing to epidemic of obesity and metabolic syndrome [1]. Fructose is involved in the genesis and progression of the syndrome through deregulation of metabolic pathways in the liver and adipose tissue, as sites of insulin-modulated metabolism [2]. Enhanced regeneration of glucocorticoid...

Fructose and mannitol are fermented by Clostridium thermocellum in a medium containing salts and 0.5% yeast extract. The initial reaction in the catabolism of fructose was found to be the formation of fructose l-phosphate by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP):fructose phosphotransferase which resembles the Kundig-Roseman phosphotransferase system. The phosphorylation of fructose l-phosphate to form fruc...

Insects sense the taste of foods and toxic compounds in their environment through the gustatory system. Genetic studies using fruit flies have suggested that putative seven-transmembrane gustatory receptors (Grs) expressed in gustatory sensory neurons are required for responses to specific tastants. We reconstituted sugar responses of Bombyx mori Gr-9 (BmGr-9), a silkworm Gr, in two heterologou...

The objective of this work was to demonstrate the role of COX-2 enzyme at the vascular in experimental model of metabolic syndrome. SHR male WKY rats were employed; they were distributed in 8 groups (n = 8 each): control (W); W + L: WKY rats receiving 20 mg/kg of lumiracoxib by intraesophageal administration; SHR; SHR + L: SHR + 20 mg/kg of lumiracoxib by intraesophageal administration; Fructos...

n-Mannitol has been used as a carbon source for the growth of many microorganisms. Some bacteria contain diphosphopyridine nucleotide-dependent dehydrogenases that will oxidize n-mannitol to n-fructose at the nonphosphorylated level (2-5). On the other hand, Wolff and Kaplan (6, 7) have reported the presence of a diphosphopyridine nucleotide-dependent n-mannitol l-phosphate dehydrogenase that o...

n-Mannitol has been used as a carbon source for the growth of many microorganisms. Some bacteria contain diphosphopyridine nucleotide-dependent dehydrogenases that will oxidize n-mannitol to n-fructose at the nonphosphorylated level (2-5). On the other hand, Wolff and Kaplan (6, 7) have reported the presence of a diphosphopyridine nucleotide-dependent n-mannitol l-phosphate dehydrogenase that o...

Glucokinase (GK) is required for cellular glucose sensing, although there is a paucity of data regarding its role in the counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia in humans. Because fructose has been shown to modulate GK activity, we examined the effects of an acute infusion of fructose on hypoglycemia counterregulation in seven lean nondiabetic subjects. Using stepped hypoglycemia clamp studi...

Intraportal infusion of small amounts of fructose markedly augmented net hepatic glucose uptake (NHGU) during hyperglycemic hyperinsulinemia in conscious dogs. In this study, we examined whether the inclusion of catalytic amounts of fructose with a glucose load reduces postprandial hyperglycemia and the pancreatic beta-cell response to a glucose load in conscious 42-h-fasted dogs. Each study co...

In this experiment we prepare soap from animal fat (lard) or vegetable oil. Animal fats and vegetable oils are esters of carboxylic acids; they have a high molecular weight and contain the alcohol, glycerol. Chemically, these fats and oils are called triglycerides (See chapter 18 of your text). The principal acids in animal fats and vegetable oils can be prepared from the natural triglycerides ...