An 8-week freeze-dried blueberry supplement impacts immune-related pathways: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial

Genes & Nutrition

Michèle Kearney¹  Juan de Toro-Martín¹  Frédéric Guénard¹  Valérie Guay¹  Denis Roy¹  Patrick Couture¹  André Marette²  Geneviève Pilon²  Justine Horne³  Marie-Claude Vohl³  Véronique Garneau³  Michèle Rousseau³  Charles Couillard³ 

[1] Centre Nutrition, santé et société (NUTRISS)-Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF), Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, QC, Canada;Centre Nutrition, santé et société (NUTRISS)-Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF), Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, QC, Canada;Québec Heart and Lung Institute (IUCPQ) Research Center, 2725 chemin Sainte-Foy, G1V 4G5, Québec, QC, Canada;Centre Nutrition, santé et société (NUTRISS)-Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF), Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, QC, Canada;School of Nutrition, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, QC, Canada;

关键词: Metabolic syndrome;    Blueberry;    Overweight/obesity;    Nutrition;    Immunity;    Transcriptomics;    Metabolomics;    Gene expression;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12263-021-00688-2

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundBlueberries contain high levels of polyphenolic compounds with high in vitro antioxidant capacities. Their consumption has been associated with improved vascular and metabolic health.PurposeThe objective was to examine the effects of blueberry supplement consumption on metabolic syndrome (MetS) parameters and potential underlying mechanisms of action.MethodsA randomized double-blind placebo-controlled intervention trial was conducted in adults at risk of developing MetS. Participants consumed 50 g daily of either a freeze-dried highbush blueberry powder (BBP) or a placebo powder for 8 weeks (n = 49). MetS phenotypes were assessed at weeks 0, 4 and 8. Fasting blood gene expression profiles and plasma metabolomic profiles were examined at baseline and week 8 to assess metabolic changes occurring in response to the BBP. A per-protocol analysis was used.ResultsA significant treatment effect was observed for plasma triglyceride levels that was no longer significant after further adjustments for age, sex, BMI and baseline values. In addition, the treatment*time interactions were non-significant therefore suggesting that compared with the placebo, BBP had no statistically significant effect on body weight, blood pressure, fasting plasma lipid, insulin and glucose levels, insulin resistance (or sensitivity) or glycated hemoglobin concentrations. There were significant changes in the expression of 49 genes and in the abundance of 35 metabolites following BBP consumption. Differentially regulated genes were clustered in immune-related pathways.ConclusionAn 8-week BBP intervention did not significantly improve traditional markers of cardiometabolic health in adults at risk of developing MetS. However, changes in gene expression and metabolite abundance suggest that clinically significant cardiometabolic changes could take longer than 8 weeks to present and/or could result from whole blueberry consumption or a higher dosage. BBP may also have an effect on factors such as immunity even within a shorter 8-week timeframe.Clinical trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov, NCT03266055, 2017

【 授权许可】

CC BY