Melatonin Treatment Prevents Pituitary Dysfunction Induced By a Sucrose Rich Diet

CYMERYNG CB; PEREZ, MN; CALANNI, JS; ARANDA, M; SANCHEZ PUCH, SILVIA I; VECINO, CV; REPETTO, EM; MERCAU, ME

Boston

Congreso; Endocrine Society's 98th Annual Meeting and Expo. Endocrine Society; 2016

Excessive consumption of foods and beverages with high sugar content has been associated an increased incidence of insulin resistance (IR) and obesity worldwide. Several reports have shown a concomitant dysfunction of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in these patients. We have previously reported that rats fed a sucrose-rich diet (SRD, 30% sucrose in the drinking water) show higher fasting blood levels of glucose, triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) that were accompanied by higher circulating corticosterone levels and a significant decrease in insulin sensitivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of the HPA axis in rats treated with SRD for 3 weeks, when changes in insulin sensitivity were still not evident and to determine the underlying mechanisms.Our results showed augmented levels of circulating ACTH and corticosterone in SRD- treated rats (200% and 56% respectively, p