Partial replacement of glucose with galactose in the post-weaning diet positively affects markers of liver health

Previous research showed a beneficial programming effect of replacting glucose in the post-weaning diet with galactose on later life adiposity. Here, we studied the direct effect of the diets in the postweaning phase in female mice. In this study, female mice were fed a glucose diet (32 en% glucose; GLU) or a glucose+galactose diet (16 en% glucose and 16 en% galactose; GLU+GAL) postweaning for three weeks, from postnatal day (PN) 21 till PN42. We observed lower circulating insulin levels and lower hepatic triglyceride levels in the females on the GLU+GAL diet. The body weight, fat mass, liver weight and liver glycogen content did not differ between the groups. We next studied hepatic gene expression profiles, because of the altered hepatic triglyceride levels and since the liver is considered the primary site of galactose metabolism. However, detailed analyses including pathway analysis, showed mainly inflammation being reduced by the GLU+GAL treatment. This was confirmed by qPCR of liver tissues and focussed serum protein analysis. The C57BL/6JRcc female mice (3 weeks old) were individually housed (12h light–dark cycle, 23±1°C, 55±15% humidity), with ad libitum access to feed and water. A semi-synthetic diet (16% energy from fat, 20% energy from protein, 32% energy from starch, and 32 en% from monosaccharides: either glucose only (GLU) or glucose and galactose in a 1:1 ratio (called GLU+GAL). After three weeks on the diets, animals were sacrificed at PN42 in a food-deprived state in the light phase.