The effect of aldosterone on adiposity - The role of glucose absorption in the small intestine.

We have previously demonstrated that manipulation of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) has large effects on digestive efficiency. However, the effects of aldosterone on body weight, adiposity, and glucose absorption in the intestine remains unknown. We here demonstrated that lack of aldosterone synthase (ASKO) in mice did not affect adiposity. In contrast, mice administered with aldosterone were resistant to diet-induced obesity. This is due to gastrointestinal loss of dietary glucose. As expected, ASKO mice had increased glucose absorption, whereas mice administered with aldosterone had reduced glucose absorption in the small intestine. Furthermore, the level of protein expression of sodium glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) in the mucosa of the jejunum was higher in ASKO mice, and lower in mice administered with aldosterone than control mice. Our findings indicate that aldosterone plays an important role on SGLT-1-mediated glucose absorption in the small intestine.