Impact of following a healthy dietary pattern with co-consuming wolfberry on number and function of blood outgrowth endothelial cells from middle-aged and older adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuejuan Xia ◽  
Darel Wee Kiat Toh ◽  
Shi Ling Ng ◽  
Olga Zharkova ◽  
Kian Keong Poh ◽  
...  

Blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOECs) have received growing attention in relation to the cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the effect of diet intervention, a primary strategy for CVD prevention on BOECs...

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 90-90
Author(s):  
Xuejuan Xia ◽  
Darel Wee Kiat Toh ◽  
Kian Keong Poh ◽  
Roger S Y Foo ◽  
Shi Ling Ng ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), a novel biomarker of cardiovascular disease, are involved in the maintenance of endothelial homeostasis and vascular repair and the number of EPCs could be altered by dietary modification. Wolfberry is widely known for the potential cardiovascular benefits, however, its impact on EPC count and function is not reported. This study aims to investigate the effect of consuming wolfberry as part of a healthy dietary pattern (HDP) on the number and function of EPCs derived from blood (BOECs). Methods Twenty-four subjects from Singapore were randomized and consumed either HDP only (HDPO; n = 9; mean age 55 ± 3 years) or HDP supplemented with 15 g/day wolfberry (HDPW; n = 15; mean age 56 ± 4 years) for 16 weeks. At pre- and post-intervention, 27 mL peripheral blood was collected from subject for the isolation of BOECs. Immunofluorescence staining with von Willebrand factor (VWF) and flow cytometry analysis with cell surface markers including KDR and CD34 were performed to verify the obtained BOECs. In-vitro tube formation assay was performed to measure the angiogenic properties of BOECs. Endothelial-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and intima-media thickness (IMT) were also measured by ultrasonographic imaging. Results Isolated BOECs have typical endothelial cobblestone morphology, express VWF and KDR, and partly express CD34. Compared with pre-intervention, both HDPO and HDPW groups showed an increase in total colony numbers of BOECs (from 1.8 ± 0.5 to 3.1 ± 1.1, P = 0.28 and 2.7 ± 0.8 to 3.2 ± 0.6, P = 0.51, respectively). For the tube formation capacity of BOECs, adherence to a HDP contributed to a time effect on both the total mesh area (P = 0.02) and mean mesh size (P < 0.01). However, further improvement in total master segment length (6.9 ± 1.6 to 11.4 ± 1.0 mm, P = 0.03), total mesh area (0.2 ± 0.1 to 0.7 ± 0.1 mm2, P = 0.03), and mean mesh size (0.02 ± 0.006 to 0.05 ± 0.003 mm2, P < 0.001) were only observed in the HDPW group compared with pre-intervention and not in the HDPO group. No changes of FMD and IMT were detected after intervention. Conclusions Adherence to a HDP increases colony count and enhances angiogenic function of BOECs, and the angiogenic capability of BOECs is further improved by wolfberry supplement in Singaporean middle-aged and older adults. Funding Sources Ministry of Education, Singapore.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 79-79
Author(s):  
Darel Wee Kiat Toh ◽  
Wan Yee Lee ◽  
Hanzhang Zhou ◽  
Clarinda Sutanto ◽  
Delia Pei Shan Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives The incorporation of zeaxanthin rich wolfberry (Lycium barbarum) into a healthy dietary pattern may augment its antioxidant effects although evidence evaluating whole fruits is lacking. The objectives of this study are to (1) investigate the impact of dietary counselling, either with or without whole dried wolfberry on oxidative stress status in middle-aged and older Singaporean adults and (2) delineate underlying mechanisms by examining associations with the corresponding changes in carotenoids status. Methods In this 16-week, parallel design randomized controlled trial, 40 subjects (29 F, 11 M; aged 50 to 64 y) received dietary counselling to follow a healthy dietary pattern. Compared to the control group (CG, n = 18), the wolfberry group (WG, n = 22) additionally cooked and consumed 15 g/d whole dried wolfberry with their main meals. Biomarkers of oxidative stress (plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance assay and 8-isoprostanes by ELISA) were measured at baseline and week 16. Plasma and dietary carotenoids analyzed by HPLC and 3-day food records respectively were measured at baseline, week 8 and week 16 while skin carotenoids status (SCS) by resonance Raman spectroscopy was assayed every 4 weeks. Results Plasma 8-isoprostanes showed a time effect (P < 0.05), attributed to the marked decline in the WG only (WG: −19.0 ± 43.6 ng/L; CG: −7.7 ± 38.7 ng/L, mean ± SD) though no effect was observed for MDA. A significant interaction effect (P < 0.001), driven by higher plasma zeaxanthin (WG: +0.08 ± 0.13 nmol/L; CG: −0.03 ± 0.05 nmol/L) and SCS (WG: +4242 ± 4938 a.u.; CG: +1713 ± 5921 a.u.) was observed in the WG with a marked increase evident from week 8 onwards although concentrations of the other plasma carotenoids were maintained. Moreover, the change value for plasma zeaxanthin in the WG was inversely associated with the corresponding changes in plasma 8-isoprostanes (−0.21 (−0.43, 0.00) ng/µmol, regression coefficient (95% CI); P = 0.05). This same association was absent in the CG. Conclusions Consuming wolfberry with a healthy dietary pattern attenuates oxidative stress in middle-aged and older adults and this may be attributed to the rich zeaxanthin content in wolfberry. Funding Sources National University of Singapore Ministry of Education, Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 567
Author(s):  
Darel Wee Kiat Toh ◽  
Wan Yee Lee ◽  
Hanzhang Zhou ◽  
Clarinda Nataria Sutanto ◽  
Delia Pei Shan Lee ◽  
...  

Incorporating zeaxanthin-rich wolfberry (Lycium barbarum) into a healthy dietary pattern may augment its antioxidant potential. The present 16-week, parallel design randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the impact of adhering to a healthy dietary pattern, either with or without whole dried wolfberry (15 g/d) on oxidative stress status (plasma malondialdehyde and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α) in middle-aged and older adults. Changes to carotenoids status (plasma and skin carotenoids) and body composition were further evaluated to explore potential mechanisms which underlie the antioxidant properties of wolfberry. Plasma 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α, plasma zeaxanthin and skin carotenoids status were significantly raised in the wolfberry consuming group (n = 22; p < 0.05) compared to the control group which showed no changes (n = 18). Likewise in the wolfberry group only, inverse association was observed between the change values of plasma zeaxanthin and plasma 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (−0.21 (−0.43, 0.00) ng/µmol, regression coefficient (95% CI); p = 0.05). Wolfberry consumption with a healthy dietary pattern may serve as a dietary strategy to attenuate lipid peroxidation among middle-aged and older adults who are at a heightened risk of oxidative stress induced age-related disorders. The antioxidant properties of wolfberry may be attributed to its rich zeaxanthin content.


Author(s):  
Hossein Shahinfar ◽  
Farhang Djafari ◽  
Nadia Babaei ◽  
Samira Davarzani ◽  
Mojdeh Ebaditabar ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: The association between dietary patterns and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is not well established. Objective: We sought to investigate association between a posteriori dietary pattern and CRF in middle-aged adults. Design: Adults (n = 276), aged 20–74 years, who were residents of Tehran, Iran were recruited. Diet was assessed by using a validated 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Principal component analysis was used to derive dietary patterns. Socio-economic status, anthropometric measures, body composition, and blood pressure were recorded. CRF was assessed by using a graded exercise treadmill test. Analysis of variance and linear regression models were used to discern the association between dietary patterns and CRF. Results: Higher scores of the healthy dietary pattern had no association with VO2max (p = 0.13 ). After controlling for potential confounders, VO2max was positively associated across tertiles of healthy dietary patterns (p < 0.001). Higher adherence to the “mixed” dietary pattern was inversely related to VO2max (p < 0.01). After adjusting for confounders, the significant association disappeared (p = 0.14). Higher scores of the “Western” dietary pattern was not associated with VO2max (p = 0.06). However, after controlling for potential confounders, VO2max was positively associated with the “Western” dietary pattern (p = 0.01). A positive linear association between the “healthy” dietary pattern and CRF for the total sample (R2 = 0.02; p < 0.01) were presented. Conclusions: Overall, our findings suggest that higher adherence to a “healthy” and “Western” dietary pattern was positively associated with CRF. However, further studies are required to examine and clarify the causal relationship between dietary patterns and CRF.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 82-82
Author(s):  
Darel Wee Kiat Toh ◽  
Xuejuan Xia ◽  
Jasmine Hui Min Low ◽  
Clarinda Sutanto ◽  
Wan Yee Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives The study aimed to investigate the impact of wolfberry (Lycium barbarum) consumption as part of a healthy dietary pattern on cardiovascular health in Singaporean middle-aged and older adults. It was hypothesized that the consumption of wolfberry could further enhance the cardiovascular protective effects of a healthy dietary pattern. Methods This was a 16 week, parallel design, randomized controlled trial where 40 Singaporean men and women (aged 50 to 64 years) received dietary counselling to follow a healthy dietary pattern either with or without 15 g/day of dried whole wolfberry, cooked and consumed as part of their meals. Blood pressure, serum lipid-lipoprotein concentrations and dietary compliance using 3-day food records were monitored every 4 weeks. Further evaluation of cardiovascular disease (CVD) biomarkers, broadly classified as serological (total nitrate/nitrite, endothelin-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-2 and von-Willebrand factor), structural (carotid intima-media thickness using B-mode ultrasonography) and functional (flow-mediated dilation using B-mode ultrasonography and circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CD34+/KDR+) by fluorescence-activated cell sorting) were analyzed before and after intervention. Results Adherence to a healthy dietary pattern contributed to a time dependent effect on both the plasma total nitrate/nitrite (P &lt; 0.01) and plasma endothelin-1 (P &lt; 0.005) which were raised and lowered respectively at week 16. However, changes were significant only in the wolfberry group (total nitrate/nitrite: 15.9 ± 1.8 to 19.4 ± 2.2 μmol/L, P &lt; 0.05; endothelin-1: 1.31 ± 0.12 to 1.11 ± 0.10 ng/L, P &lt; 0.01) and not in the control group. Moreover, a significant increase in serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was also detected solely in the wolfberry group (1.56 ± 0.10 to 1.65 ± 0.10 mmol/L, P &lt; 0.05). The other serological, structural and functional biomarkers of cardiovascular health showed no observable change after the intervention. Conclusions Incorporating wolfberry to your daily meals may augment the cardiovascular protective benefits of a healthy dietary pattern by improving the regulation of vascular tone and plasma lipid-lipoprotein profile in Singaporean middle-aged and older adults. Funding Sources Ministry of Education, Singapore.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S261-S261
Author(s):  
Haowei Wang ◽  
Jeffrey E Stokes

Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of adult mortality in China, accounting for 45% of deaths from noncommunicable disease. Moreover, Chinese health status and health services are disproportionately divided between urban and rural areas. This study examined rural-urban differences in age trajectories of CVD risk, measured by C-reactive protein (CRP), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. This study also investigated whether community factors, including recreational amenities, infrastructure availability, physical environment, public facilities, and health services, may explain such rural-urban disparities. We used data from the baseline data of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011), including 11, 528 respondents from 440 communities, who were aged 45 and older and participated in the biomarker survey. Multilevel models revealed that rural adults had a higher level of HDL and lower levels of CRP, BMI, and waist circumference compared to their urban counterparts. Rural adults also had slower age-related increases in trajectories for CRP, HDL and BMI. Associations of physical environment and public facilities with CVD risks were largely explained by rural-urban disparity. However, the availability of infrastructure explained both between- and within- rural-urban differences in BMI and waist circumference. Models were controlled for previously diagnosed CVD conditions, individual demographic characteristics, self-rated health, activities of daily living, depressive symptoms, physical activity, smoking and drinking behaviors. Findings contribute to the understanding of prevalence and disparities in biomarker risks for CVD among Chinese middle-aged and older adults. Intervention implications are discussed to address the emerging health disparities.


2020 ◽  
pp. 026010602095259
Author(s):  
Mahshid Shahavandi ◽  
Mohammad Reza Amini ◽  
Hossein Shahinfar ◽  
Sakineh Shab-Bidar

Background: Limited data are available on the association of major dietary patterns and predicted risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). Aim: To investigate the association between major dietary patterns and the predicted 10-year CVD risk in an Iranian population Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 522 apparently healthy adults referred to health centers in Tehran. Usual dietary intake was assessed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The association between dietary patterns and the predicted risk of development of CVD was evaluated using linear multiple regression. Principal component analysis was used to identify major dietary patterns. Results: In total, 41% of the men ( n = 95) and 46% of women ( n = 134) were in the low risk (<10%) and 6% of men ( n = 14) and 1% of women ( n = 3) were in the high risk (> 20%) category of the FRS. A significant decrease was found for body mass index ( p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (SBP) ( p = 0.003), diastolic blood pressure ( p = 0.005), and triglyceride ( p = 0.02) in the higher tertile of healthy dietary pattern. Adherence to an unhealthy dietary pattern was associated with a significant increase in body weight ( p = 0.03) and a significant decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( p < 0.001). The healthy dietary pattern score was negatively associated with SBP ( p = 0.04) and FRS ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: Although we observed improvements in CVD risk factors with greater adherence to healthy dietary patterns, there was no association between identified dietary patterns and the predicted risk of 10-year CVD.


2019 ◽  
Vol 115 (12) ◽  
pp. 1692-1704 ◽  
Author(s):  
João P Monteiro ◽  
Matthew Bennett ◽  
Julie Rodor ◽  
Axelle Caudrillier ◽  
Igor Ulitsky ◽  
...  

AbstractPresent throughout the vasculature, endothelial cells (ECs) are essential for blood vessel function and play a central role in the pathogenesis of diverse cardiovascular diseases. Understanding the intricate molecular determinants governing endothelial function and dysfunction is essential to develop novel clinical breakthroughs and improve knowledge. An increasing body of evidence demonstrates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are active regulators of the endothelial transcriptome and function, providing emerging insights into core questions surrounding EC contributions to pathology, and perhaps the emergence of novel therapeutic opportunities. In this review, we discuss this class of non-coding transcripts and their role in endothelial biology during cardiovascular development, homeostasis, and disease, highlighting challenges during discovery and characterization and how these have been overcome to date. We further discuss the translational therapeutic implications and the challenges within the field, highlighting lncRNA that support endothelial phenotypes prevalent in cardiovascular disease.


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