engleski

The functional food (enriched hen’s eggs) consumption enhances microvascular function and incites anti-inflammatory mechanisms in healthy subjects and cardiovascular patients

Background: Hereby, we present first-ever results on consumption of functional food, namely hen eggs enriched by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3-PUFAs), selenium, vitamin E and lutein on the endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDV) and immune response of healthy adults and cardiovascular patients. Methods: Participants consumed 3 hard-boiled hen eggs/daily (21 days): Control groups-regular hen eggs (n-3-PUFAs= 438 mg, selenium= 0.054 mg, lutein= 0.330 mg and vitamin E= 1.785 mg) (N = 14) ; 4Nutri groups-hen eggs enriched with 4 nutrients (n-3-PUFAs= 1026 mg, selenium= 0.06 mg, lutein= 1.85 mg and vitamin E= 3.29 mg) (N=20). 2 separate study protocols were conducted, on healthy participants and cardiovascular patients. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate, serum lipid and liver enzymes, anthropometric measurements, protein expression of COX-1, COX-2, eNOS, iNOS and nNOS were measured before and after dietary protocol. Serum concentrations of lipid mediators and cytokines were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and antibody-based, magnetic bead reagent kits on the Luminex platform, respectively. Serum oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity were measured using standardized methods, while gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was determined via rtPCR. Skin microvascular blood flow in response to EDV (post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) and iontophoresis of acetylcholine (AChID)) and sodium nitroprusside (SNPID ; endothelium-independent) were assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry before and after dietary protocol, with or without 100 mg of indomethacin perorally. Results: PORH and AChID were significantly enhanced, and SNPID remained unchanged in 4Nutri group, while none was changed in Control group following respective diet. PORH was decreased after administration of indomethacin and protein expression of COX-2 was significantly higher in 4Nutri group compared to Control group after dietary protocol. Decreased serum levels of pro-inflammatory interleukin-17A and increased nNOS and iNOS expression in 4Nutri group- healthy and cardiovascular, together with alteration of metabolites produced via COX pathways 4Nutri-healthy group, suggest a shift towards anti-inflammatory and pro-vasodilatory conditions in participants who consumed enriched hen eggs. Conclusions: Results suggest involvement of n-3-PUFAs metabolites via the cyclooxygenases pathway in enhanced reactive hyperemia response. Present results suggest that consumption of eggs enriched with antioxidants may have a protective role in resting, non-inflammatory conditions.

microcirculation, endothelium, vasodilation, cyclooxygenases, functional food, eggs, reactive hyperemia, anti-inflammatory cytokines

Acknowledgement: This study is supported by the European Structural and Investment Funds grant for the Croatian National Scientific Center of Excellence for Personalized Health Care, University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer Osijek (grant #KK.01.1.1.01.0010).