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Wild Blueberry consumption markedly attenuates concentration and expression of inflammatory markers in the obese Zucker rat
Author(s) -
Vendrame Stefano,
Daugherty Allison,
Kristo Aleksandra S.,
Klimis-Zacas Dorothy
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.385.5
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , adiponectin , adipose tissue , metabolic syndrome , subclinical infection , inflammation , chemistry , interleukin 6 , tumor necrosis factor alpha , obesity , insulin resistance
This study investigates the ability of a wild blueberry (WB)‐enriched diet to improve subclinical inflammatory status in the obese Zucker rat (OZR), an experimental model for the human metabolic syndrome. Twenty OZR and 20 lean controls (LZR) were fed either a control (C) or an 8% WB diet for 8 weeks. Blood levels of interleukin 6 (IL6), TNFα and adiponectin (APN) were significantly higher in OZR compared to LZR, independent of treatment. Within the OZR group, IL6 and TNFα were significantly lower in the WB group (219.3 ± 8.0 and 28.8 ± 0.8 pg/mL respectively) compared to controls (257.7 ± 7.7 and 38.7 ± 0.9 pg/mL), whereas APN levels were higher (20.7 ± 1.5 vs 17.0 ± 1.1 μg/mL). Expression of IL6, TNFα and NF‐kB was significantly lower in the WB group of OZR both in the liver (−65%, −59% and −25% respectively) and the abdominal adipose tissue (−64%, −52% and −65%). Furthermore, expression of these genes was markedly increased in OZR on C diet compared to their lean controls, and this effect was almost completely reversed by the WB treatment. Liver expression of C‐reactive protein significantly decreased in both groups following WB treatment (−16% in LZR and −25% in OZR). Expression of APN in the adipose tissue significantly increased following WB treatment in LZR (+25%), but not in OZR. In conclusion, results of this study suggest that WB consumption results in a markedly improved inflammatory status in the OZR. Grant Funding Source : Maine Wild Blueberry Commission