Fructose-induced metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells.

Excess dietary fructose consumption has been long proposed as a culprit for the world-wide increase of incidence in metabolic disorders and cancer within the past decades. Understanding that cancer cells can gradually accumulate metabolic mutations in the tumor microenvironment, where glucose is often depleted, this raises the possibility that fructose can be utilized by cancer cells as an alternative source of carbon. Indeed, recent research has increasingly identified various mechanisms that show how cancer cells can metabolize fructose to support their proliferating and migrating needs. In light of this growing interest, this review will summarize the recent advances in understanding how fructose can metabolically reprogram different types of cancer cells, as well as how these metabolic adaptations can positively support cancer cells development and malignancy.

KHK involved in intestinal barrier impairment by high-fat and high-fructose diet / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To explore the effect of high-fat and high-fructose diet on mouse intestinal barrier function, as well as the role of ketohexokinase (KHK), the key enzyme in fructose metabolism, in intestinal barrier impairment. 【Methods】 Eight-week-old male control C57BL/6J mice and Khk-/- mice were randomly divided into control + normal diet (ND), control + high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFHFD), Khk-/-+ normal diet (ND+Khk-/-), and Khk-/-+ high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFHFD+Khk-/-) groups, with eight mice in each group. During the high-fat and high-fructose diet and normal diet, the body weight changes of mice in different groups were recorded. After the intervention, the blood glucose and insulin levels of mice in each group were detected. The intestinal barrier function and inflammation level of mice were evaluated by detecting intestinal water content, permeability, tight junction protein expression, serum and intestinal inflammatory factor levels. 【Results】 Compared with ND group, HFHFD group significantly increased the body weight, blood glucose and insulin levels of mice, increased the intestinal water content and permeability, decreased the expression of tight junction proteins, and increased inflammatory factors of the serum and intestines. In the two groups fed with high-fat and high-fructose diet, the body weight, blood glucose and insulin levels of the HFHFD+Khk-/- group were significantly lower than those of HFHFD group, and the intestinal barrier dysfunction and inflammation were significantly improved. 【Conclusion】 KHK, a key enzyme in fructose metabolism, is involved in the impairment of intestinal barrier caused by high-fat and high-fructose diet. Knockout of Khk gene significantly improved intestinal barrier dysfunction and the inflammation level.