High-fat, high-protein, and high-carbohydrate diets affect sphingolipid profile in pancreatic steatosis in Wistar rats.

Objectives: Imbalanced diets (e.g., excessive protein, fat, and carbohydrates) may contribute to numerous disorders, such as steatosis. However, previous studies in the pancreas are scarce and limited to the evaluation of sphingolipid metabolism in the islets of Langerhans that constitute only ∼5% of the organ mass. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of high-fat, high-protein, and high-carbohydrate diets on the development of pancreatic steatosis in conjunction with sphingolipid profile in the organ.

Methods: The experiments were conducted on 40 male Wistar rats (initial age 8 wk) randomly allocated to experimental groups. After 8 wk, plasma and tissue sphingolipid levels were measured by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. Blood glucose levels were measured with a glucometer, whereas insulin concentration was determined using chemiluminescence.

Results: We demonstrated that a chronic feeding with three different types of improper diets exerts multifarious effects on sphingolipid metabolism in the pancreas. The most important finding of the present study was that all three diets predisposed toward the onset and development of pancreatic steatosis, as evidenced by an excessive ceramide accumulation.

Conclusions: As it has been established that pancreatic steatosis is a disease with growing prevalence and possible serious complications, further investigations of the topic are warranted. The complete and precise comprehension of pancreatic steatosis pathogenesis could contribute to the invention of novel therapies for the disease.