3M-Brazzein as a natural sugar substitute rescued obesity in maternal and offspring mice

Abstract

Weight loss is among the greatest challenges facing public health in the globesity epidemic. Reducing or eliminating sugar from the diet is the main dietary factor for weight loss. Here, 3M-brazzein, a natural sweet protein, was investigated as a possible sugar substitute for weight loss. High-fat diet-induced female mice were fed normal chow and exposed to 3M-brazzein or 10 % sucrose of equivalent sweetness in drinking water before mating through pregnancy and lactation. Consumption of 3M-brazzein reduced body weight and adiposity and induced a partial recovery of the metabolic disorder before mating, unlike sucrose consumption. Additionally, 3M-brazzein consumption by obese mice before pregnancy mitigated offspring obesity risk, whereas offspring of sucrose-consuming obese mice displayed adiposity, hypertrophy, and metabolic disorder. By virtue of its naturally low-calorie content, 3M-brazzein could be an effective sugar substitute to support weight loss in obesity, even during pregnancy and lactation, reducing adiposity and attenuating metabolic disorders. © 2024 The Authors