5-cis-, Trans- and Total Lycopene Plasma Concentrations Inversely Relate to Atherosclerotic Plaque Burden in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Subjects.

Gemma Chiva-Blanch,Amanda Jiménez,Rosa Gilabert,Claudia Jiménez,Miriam Martínez-Huélamo,Zoe Herreras,Marta Catalán,Emilio Ortega,Montserrat Cofán,Aleix Sala-Vila,Montserrat Pinyol,Rosa M Lamuela-Raventos

doi:10.3390/nu12061696

Abstract

Diabetic subjects are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis, the common soil of most of the cardiovascular complications, is more prevalent and extensive in this population due not only to hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, but also to inflammation and oxidative stress. Lycopenes are bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities mostly supplied by tomato and tomato byproducts. We investigated the association between circulating lycopenes and carotid plaque burden in diabetic patients, in a cross-sectional study in 105 newly diagnosed diabetic subjects. Atheroma plaque (wall thickness ≥ 1.5 mm), number of plaques, and plaque burden (sum of maximum heights of all plaques) were assessed by sonographic evaluation of carotid arteries. Plasma lycopenes (5-cis-, 9-cis-, 13-cis-, and trans-lycopene) were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry HPLC-MS. Atheroma plaque was observed in 75 participants, from which 38 presented one plaque and 37 two or more carotid plaques. No differences were observed in the plasmatic concentrations of lycopenes between subjects with and without atherosclerotic plaque presence. However, plaque burden was inversely associated with 5-cis-lycopene, all cis-lycopene isomers, trans-lycopene, and total lycopene isomers (all, p < 0.05). High plasma levels of lycopenes inversely relate to atherosclerotic burden. We provide novel evidence that suggests that the consumption of compounds found in tomato and tomato byproducts might be beneficial for the prevention of atherosclerosis.

Highlights

The progressive westernization of dietary patterns coupled with physical inactivity has caused a significant increase in the prevalence of obesity and a global epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus, expecting to affect 642 million people by 2040 [1]
Self-reported dietary consumption of tomato and tomato byproducts was directly associated to trans-lycopene
In this cross-sectional study, we examined the potential associations between plasmatic lycopene isomers and atherosclerosis in subjects with diabetes

Summary

Introduction

The progressive westernization of dietary patterns coupled with physical inactivity has caused a significant increase in the prevalence of obesity and a global epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus, expecting to affect 642 million people by 2040 [1]. The first cause of blindness, nontraumatic amputation, and terminal kidney disease is microvascular complications of diabetes, and cardiovascular disease is the first cause of mortality in this population [2]. Preventing and/or delaying the progression of cardiovascular complications in diabetes is a major public health concern. Atherosclerosis begins earlier, is more extensive, and progresses more rapidly than in nondiabetic individuals [3]. Together, this prompted the notion that dietary consumption of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities might contribute to the protection against atherosclerosis progression

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Conclusion