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Fuzhuan Tea Reverses Western Diet‐induced Arterial Stiffness in Mice
Author(s) -
Lee Dustin,
Battson Micah,
Jarrell Dillon,
Sevits Kyle,
Weir Tiffany,
CoxYork Kimberly,
Gentile Christopher
Publication year - 2016
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.30.1_supplement.904.15
Subject(s) - pulse wave velocity , arterial stiffness , medicine , obesity , cardiology , endocrinology , weight loss , in vivo , body weight , artery , blood pressure , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Stiffening of the large elastic arteries, as measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV), is one of the strongest independent predictors of cardiovascular events and mortality. Obese individuals exhibit increased arterial stiffness, although the effect of modest increases in body weight, in the absence of obesity, is unclear. Therefore, the primary aim of the current study was to examine the effects of modest weight gain, induced by a western diet (WD), on large artery stiffness in experimental animals. Fuzhuan tea (FT) is a Chinese tea that has been shown to protect against various metabolic insults associated with obesity and a WD, but the effects of FT on the cardiovascular system are unknown. Thus, the secondary aim of the present study was to examine whether FT consumption could reduce the hypothesized increase in aortic stiffness following modest weight gain. Methods C57BL/6J male mice were fed either a standard diet (SD) or WD for 9 months. In the final 8 weeks of the dietary interventions, SD and WD groups were divided to receive regular drinking water or water supplemented with FT (200mg/kg/day). Aortic stiffness was measured in vivo by pulse wave velocity at baseline, 7, and 9 months. Endothelial dependent (EDD) and independent dilation (EID) were measured ex vivo in carotid arteries. Body weight and food intake were recorded weekly over the 9‐month period. Results Mice fed a WD for 7 months exhibited a modest increase in body weight (SD: 34.7± 4.1 g vs WD: 40.1 ± 2.4 g) and significant increase in PWV (SD: 422.4 ± 6.4 vs WD: 458.0 ± 4.6, p‐value < 0.05). Consumption of FT during an additional 8‐weeks of WD did not significantly alter body weight, but returned PWV in WD+FT to SD levels (SD: 429.9 ± 8.7 vs WD + FT: 425.3 ± 18.1; p‐value > 0.05). WD displayed increased aortic collagen compared to SD (WD: 38.8 ± 10.3 vs SD: 17.5 ± 11.3, p‐value < 0.05) and a decrease from WD was observed in WD + FT (WD + FT: 32 ± 10.7). Conclusions Our data indicate that modest weight gain increases arterial stiffness, and that Fuzhuan tea supplementation can reverse this effect. These results may have broad implications for individuals gaining modest body weight over prolonged periods of time. Support or Funding Information Funding: Boettcher Foundation's Webb‐Waring Biomedical Research Program (CLG); National Institutes of Health DK087777 (CLG)