An Isocaloric Nordic Diet Modulates and Gene Expression in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome-A SYSDIET Sub-Study.

Ingibjörg Gunnarsdottir, Marjukka Kolehmainen, Matti Uusitupa, Peter Arner, Kaisa S Poutanen, Inga Thorsdottir, Ulf Risérus, Markku J Savolainen, Karl-Heinz Herzig, Janne Hukkanen, Fredrik Rosqvist, Björn Åkesson, Lieselotte Cloetens, Stine M Ulven, Lars O Dragsted, Kjeld Hermansen, Jussi Pihlajamäki, Carsten Carlberg, Ursula Schwab, Vanessa D de Mello, Ingrid Dahlman, Lena Leder, Mari C W Myhrstad, Amanda Rundblad, Kirsten B Holven

Journal: Nutrients 2020;11(12):2932

PMID: 31816875

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Plain Language Summary

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) alongside other related risk factors has been implicated as increasing an individual’s risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. MetS is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and raised blood lipid levels, which have been shown to improve in individuals when put on a Nordic diet (ND). In this sub-study of the SYSDIET study, which was a 18-24 week randomised controlled multi centre study, the aim was to examine the effect of a ND compared to a control diet (CD) on genes that are involved in the production of inflammatory molecules and lipids. Blood samples of 88 obese participants from the SYSDIET study were analysed for various inflammatory molecule producing genes and lipid molecule producing genes. The results showed that compared to CD, ND increased the presence of the inflammatory gene RELA, but decreased the presence of inflammatory gene TNFRSF1A. No differences were observed in other inflammatory genes and no differences were observed in lipid producing genes. It was concluded that consuming a ND compared to a CD may affect the production of inflammatory genes; however further studies are required to determine if the ND improves the amount of blood lipids because of an altered presence of lipid producing genes. The implication of this for practitioners is that further research of the SYSDIET is needed. In addition, a Nordic diet may improve inflammation in obese individuals because of a reduction in the production of inflammatory genes.

Abstract

A healthy dietary pattern is associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and reduced inflammation. To explore this at the molecular level, we investigated the effect of a Nordic diet (ND) on changes in the gene expression profiles of inflammatory and lipid-related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of individuals with MetS. We hypothesized that the intake of an ND compared to a control diet (CD) would alter the expression of inflammatory genes and genes involved in lipid metabolism. The individuals with MetS underwent an 18/24-week randomized intervention to compare a ND with a CD. Eighty-eight participants (66% women) were included in this sub-study of the larger SYSDIET study. Fasting PBMCs were collected before and after the intervention and changes in gene expression levels were measured using TaqMan Array Micro Fluidic Cards. Forty-eight pre-determined inflammatory and lipid related gene transcripts were analyzed. The expression level of the gene tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily member 1A was down-regulated ( = 0.004), whereas the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) subunit, , was up-regulated ( = 0.016) in the ND group compared to the CD group. In conclusion, intake of an ND in individuals with the MetS may affect immune function.

Address: Department of Nutrition, Institute for Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, 0317 Oslo, Norway.; National Advisory Unit for Familial Hypercholesterlemia, Department of Endocrinology, Morbid Obesity and Preventive Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway.; Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, OsloMet-Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway.; Mills AS, Sofienberggt. 19, 0558 Oslo, Norway.; Department of Medicine (H7), Karolinska Institute, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden.; School of Medicine, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.; Department of Medicine, Endocrinology and Clinical Nutrition, Kuopio University Hospital, 70029 Kuopio, Finland.; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.; Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark.; Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.; Unit for Nutrition Research, University of Iceland and Landspitali-The National University Hospital of Iceland, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland.; Biomedical Nutrition, Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.; Department of Clinical Nutrition, Skåne University Hospital, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.; Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, Uppsala University, 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden.; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, 90220 Oulu, Finland.; Institute of Biomedicine, Biocenter of Oulu, Medical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, and Oulu University Hospital, 90220 Oulu, Finland.; Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60572 Poznan, Poland.; VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, 021100 Espoo, Finland.

DOI: 10.3390/nu11122932

Patient Centred Factor

Mediators: Metabolic syndrome

Clinical Imbalances

Immune and inflammation

Laboratory Testing

Blood

Modifiable Lifestyle Factors

Diet

Jadad Score

Allocation Concealment

Nutrition Evidence Keywords

Obesity Tumor necrosis factor TNF Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated b Cells NF-KB TNFRSF1A RELA Gene Nordic diet Lipid

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https://medlineplus.gov/metabolicsyndrome.html

MeSH Terms: Adult, Diet Therapy, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Humans, Leukocytes, Mononuclear, Male, Metabolic Syndrome, Middle Aged, Proto-Oncogene Mas, Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I, Transcription Factor RelA, Transcriptome