Sweetener aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation
Wu et al. provide new insights into how aspartame consumption exacerbates atherosclerosis through an insulin-dependent mechanism. Aspartame-triggered high insulin levels upregulate the endothelial membrane-bound inflammatory CX3CL1 and the deletion of the Cx3cr1 gene completely abrogates the pro-atherosclerotic effect. Our findings suggest a promising therapeutic approach for treating atherosclerosis-associated cerebrocardiovascular diseases.
