d-Sorbose inhibits disaccharidase activity and demonstrates suppressive action on postprandial blood levels of glucose and insulin in the rat

In an attempt to develop d-sorbose as a new sweetener that could help in preventing lifestyle-related diseases, we investigated the inhibitory effect of d-sorbose on disaccharidase activity, using the brush border membrane vesicles of rat small intestines. The inhibitory effect was compared with that of l-sorbose and other rare sugars, and the small intestinal disaccharidases in rats was compared with that of humans as well. In humans and the small intestines of rats, d-sorbose strongly inhibited sucrase activity and weakly inhibited maltase activity. Inhibition by d-sorbose of sucrase activity was similar to that of l-arabinose, and the Ki of d-sorbose was 7.5 mM. Inhibition by d-sorbose was very strong in comparison with that of l-sorbose (Ki, 60.8 mM), whereas inhibition of d-tagatose was between that of d-sorbose and l-sorbose. The inhibitory mode of d-sorbose for sucrose and maltase was uncompetitive, and that of l-sorbose was competitive. To determine a suppressive effect on postprandial blood levels of glucose and insulin via inhibition of sucrase activity, sucrose solution with or without d-sorbose was administered to rats. Increments in the blood levels of glucose and insulin were suppressed significantly after administration of sucrose solution with d-sorbose to rats, in comparison to administration of sucrose solution without d-sorbose. In contrast, the suppressive effect of l-sorbose on postprandial blood levels of glucose and insulin was very weak. These results suggest that d-sorbose may have an inhibitory effect on disaccharidase activity and could be used as a sweetener to suppress the postprandial elevation of blood levels of glucose and insulin. The use of d-sorbose as a sweetener may contribute to the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus.