Unexpectedly, we observed an
increase in HDL cholesterol in the HCON, HGTE, and MGTE
groups. Elevated HDL-C levels are probably caused by increased
cholesterol efflux from the peripheral and/or liver cells.
There is supporting evidence that uric acid may have a
pathogenic role in the development of MetS. Hyperuricemia has
been reported to predict the development of obesity and
hypertriglyceridemia [25]. Nakagawa et al. [25] and other study
reported that lowering the levels of uric acid improved some
features of the MetS including hypertension, obesity, and
hypertriglyceridemia [40]. In the present study, GTE prevented
and reversed the features of MetS in fructose-fed rats. Microencapsulated
GTE lowered the level of serum uric acid to a greater
extent than GTE. It has been suggested that increased serum uric
acid might induce the overproduction of hepatic TG and
reduction of TG clearance through the decrease in lipoprotein
lipase activity in endothelial cells [25]. In addition, uric acid
could play a pathogenic role in fructose-mediated MetS by
reducing endothelial NO bioavailability both in cell culture and
in experimental models [40].
The present study provides additional information on the
damaging effect of high fructose diet on the cardiovascular
system by increasing myocardial fibrosis. Myocardial fibrosis,
LV thickness, and LV diameter characterize the morphologic
changes in rats and are gross indicators of cardiomyopathy [41].
Myocardial fibrosis is one of the main structural pathologic