Post-prandial effects of hazelnut-enriched high fat meal on LDL oxidative status, oxidative and inflammatory gene expression of healthy subjects: a randomized trial

L. Di Renzo, G. Merra, R. Botta, P. Gualtieri, A. Manzo, M.A. Perrone, M. Mazza, S. Cascapera, A. De Lorenzo

Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Section of Clinical Nutrition and Nutrigenomic, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy. delorenzo@uniroma2.it

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• Nutrition

OBJECTIVE: Postprandial oxidative stress is characterized by an increased susceptibility of the organism towards oxidative damage after consumption of a meal rich in lipids and/or carbohydrates. Micronutrients modulate the immune system and exert a protective action by reducing low-density lipoproteins oxidation (ox-LDL) via induction of antioxidant enzymes.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The clinical study was a randomized and cross-over trial, conducted through the CONSORT flowchart. We evaluated the gene expression of 103 genes related to oxidative stress (HOSp) and human inflammasome pathways (HIp), and ox-LDL level at fasting and after 40 g raw “Tonda Gentile delle Langhe” hazelnut consumption, in association with a McDonald’s® Meal (McDM) in 22 healthy human volunteers.

RESULTS: Ox-LDL levels significantly increased comparing no dietary treatment (NDT) vs. McDM, and decreased comparing McDM vs. McDM + H (p<0.05). Percentage of significant genes expressed after each dietary treatment were the follows: (A) NDT vs. McDM: 3.88% HIp and 17.48% HOSp; (B) NDT vs. McDM + H: 17.48% HIp and 23.30% HOSp; (C) McDM vs. McDM + H: 17.48% HIp and 33.98% HOSp.

CONCLUSIONS: Hazelnut consumption reduced post prandial risk factors of atherosclerosis, such as ox-LDL, and the expression of inflammation and oxidative stress related genes. Chronic studies on larger population are necessary before definitive conclusions.

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