Long-Term Aspartame Administration Leads to Fibrosis, Inflammasome Activation, and Gluconeogenesis Impairment in the Liver of Mice.

BACKGROUND: Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in foods and beverages worldwide. However, it is linked to oxidative stress, inflammation, and liver damage through mechanisms that are not fully elucidated yet. This work aimed to investigate the effects of long-term administration of aspartame on the oxidative and inflammatory mechanisms associated with liver fibrosis progression in mice. METHODS: Mice were divided into two groups with six animals each: control and aspartame. Aspartame (80 mg/kg, via oral) or vehicle was administrated for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Aspartame caused liver damage and elevated serum transaminase levels. Aspartame also generated liver fibrosis, as evidenced by histology analysis, and pro-fibrotic markers' upregulation, including transforming growth factor ß 1, collagen type I alpha 1, and alpha-smooth muscle actin. Furthermore, aspartame reduced nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation and enzymatic antioxidant activity and increased lipid peroxidation, which triggered NOD-like receptor containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation and p53 induction. Furthermore, aspartame reduced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) levels, possibly through p53 activation. This PGC-1α deficiency could be responsible for the changes in lipid profile in serum, total lipid accumulation, and gluconeogenesis impairment in liver, evidenced by the gluconeogenic enzymes' downregulation, thus causing hypoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: This work provides new insights to understand the mechanisms related to the adverse effects of aspartame on liver tissue.

Chronic aspartame intake causes changes in the trans-sulphuration pathway, glutathione depletion and liver damage in mice.

No-caloric sweeteners, such as aspartame, are widely used in various food and beverages to prevent the increasing rates of obesity and diabetes mellitus, acting as tools in helping control caloric intake. Aspartame is metabolized to phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol. Our aim was to study the effect of chronic administration of aspartame on glutathione redox status and on the trans-sulphuration pathway in mouse liver. Mice were divided into three groups: control; treated daily with aspartame for 90 days; and treated with aspartame plus N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Chronic administration of aspartame increased plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase activities and caused liver injury as well as marked decreased hepatic levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), γ-glutamylcysteine ​​(γ-GC), and most metabolites of the trans-sulphuration pathway, such as cysteine, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and S-adenosylhomocysteine ​​(SAH). Aspartame also triggered a decrease in mRNA and protein levels of the catalytic subunit of glutamate cysteine ligase (GCLc) and cystathionine γ-lyase, and in protein levels of methionine adenosyltransferase 1A and 2A. N-acetylcysteine prevented the aspartame-induced liver injury and the increase in plasma ALT activity as well as the decrease in GSH, γ-GC, cysteine, SAM and SAH levels and GCLc protein levels. In conclusion, chronic administration of aspartame caused marked hepatic GSH depletion, which should be ascribed to GCLc down-regulation and decreased cysteine levels. Aspartame triggered blockade of the trans-sulphuration pathway at two steps, cystathionine γ-lyase and methionine adenosyltransferases. NAC restored glutathione levels as well as the impairment of the trans-sulphuration pathway.