Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute in London have found that consuming a high amount of sucralose, an artificial sweetener commonly used in hot drinks and diet soft drinks, could suppress the immune response to disease in mice.
The study suggests that sucralose could potentially be used to treat people with autoimmune disorders, including conditions such as Type-1 diabetes.
The study, published in Nature, found that consuming high doses of sucralose lowered the activation of T cells — a type of white blood cell — in mice.
Dr Karen Vousden, senior author and principal group leader at the Crick, told The National: “T-cells are activated when an external signal binds to the T-cell receptor on the surface of the T-cell. Our data show that sucralose works by dampening this signalling cascade, so the T-cell is less efficiently activated.
“We don’t know the exact details, but it seems that sucralose can interact with the cell membrane and impedes changes in the membrane that are necessary for proper T-cell receptor activation”.
The doses tested were within recommended consumption limits, but would be the equivalent of drinking about 30 cups of sweetened coffee in a day or 10 cans of a diet fizzy drink.
Dr Vousden said: “We did not see a similar effect with two other sweeteners, AceK and saccharin”.
The researchers hope the findings could lead to a new way of using much higher therapeutic doses of sucralose in patients, but they stressed that their findings should not sound alarm bells for those wanting to ensure they have a healthy immune system or recover from disease.
“It is important to remember that the amount of sucralose we gave the mice was around the maximum recommended doses by the American and European food agencies, which is much higher than those reached by people simply consuming food or drinks containing sucralose as part of a normal diet,” Dr Vousden said.
The researchers cautioned against taking away the message that sucralose is harmful if consumed in the course of a normal balanced diet.
“Our study does not suggest that normal intake of sucralose will affect any heath condition treatment, nor that it should be avoided as part of a regular diet”.
Dr Vousden said: “We’re hoping to piece together a bigger picture of the effects of diet on health and disease, so that one day we can advise on diets that are best suited to individual patients, or find elements of our diet that doctors can exploit for treatment.”
The effects on the immune system observed seem reversible, and the researchers believe it may be worth studying whether sucralose could be used to ameliorate conditions such as autoimmunity, especially in combinational therapies.
Julianna Blagih, co-first author and former postdoctoral training fellow at the Crick, said: “We’ve shown that a commonly used sweetener, sucralose, is not a completely inert molecule and we have uncovered an unexpected effect on the immune system.
“We are keen to explore whether there are other cell types or processes that are similarly affected by this sweetener.”
Karis Betts, senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “The results of this study don’t show harmful effects of sucralose for humans, so you don’t need to think about changing your diet to avoid it.”
The study raises questions about the effects of artificial sweeteners on the body, and the need for further research in this area.
Dr Vousden told The National: “Assuming we can exclude all safety concerns, we think high doses of sucralose could be useful in T-cell dependent autoimmune diseases, most likely in combination with existing therapies.
“But we need to do a lot more work in collaboration with our clinical colleagues before we know whether we can use this work effectively for therapy”.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
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Rating: 3.5/5
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Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
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Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
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Global institutions: BlackRock and KKR
US-based BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with $5.98 trillion of assets under management as of the end of last year. The New York firm run by Larry Fink provides investment management services to institutional clients and retail investors including governments, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, banks and charitable foundations around the world, through a variety of investment vehicles.
KKR & Co, or Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, is a global private equity and investment firm with around $195 billion of assets as of the end of last year. The New York-based firm, founded by Henry Kravis and George Roberts, invests in multiple alternative asset classes through direct or fund-to-fund investments with a particular focus on infrastructure, technology, healthcare, real estate and energy.
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Volvo ES90 Specs
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What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
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Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
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Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
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