In vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of high fructose corn syrup and fructose

This investigation was carried out to determine the potential cytotoxic effect of HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) and Fructose (FR) which are frequently preferred as sweeteners in foods, with 3- (4,5-dimethylthiazole-2) -2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line and their genotoxic effect was examined using chromosome aberrations (CAs), sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), micronucleus (MN) and comet assays in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The effects of these sweeteners on mitotic index (MI), replication index (RI) and nuclear division index (NDI) were also investigated. Six different concentrations of HFCS (5 %; 7.5; 10; 15; 20; 30) and FR (62.5; 125; 250; 500; 1000 and 2000 µg/mL) were used. HFCS significantly and concentration-dependently reduced the cell viability in the HepG2 cell line at concentrations between 5 % (except 48 h) and 30 %. It has been determined that FR had a cytotoxic effects in HepG2 cells at all concentrations in 24-h and 48-h applications. HFCS caused a toxic effect in human lymphocytes at a concentration of 30 %. In addition, HFCS significantly increased CAs frequency at the two highest concentrations (15 % and 20) in both treatment periods. FR significantly increased the frequency of CAs at 250, 1000 and 2000 μg/mL concentrations in only 48 h administration. Both sweeteners increased the frequency of SCEs at all concentrations. HFCS (15 % and 20) and FR (250, 1000, and 2000 µg/mL) caused an increase in MN frequency at higher concentrations. The MI significantly decreased at all treatments and this decrease was only significant at high concentrations. However, they did not cause any significant change in RI and NBI. According to comet assay results, HFCS significantly increased the comet tail intensity at all concentrations (except 7.5 %), and tail length at the concentrations of 7.5 % -30. It increased the tail moment at the concentrations of 10 % -30. On the other hand, FR significantly increased tail intensity at all concentrations (except 62.5 µg/mL), tail length at 250 and 500 µg/mL, and tail moment at 125-2000 µg/mL concentrations. These results showed that HFCS and FR have cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, especially at higher concentrations.