A nano‐emulsion of lutein is more effective than regular lutein in reducing hepatic inflammation in guinea pigs (1044.15)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of consuming regular lutein versus lutein in a nano‐emulsion on hepatic liver enzymes and gene expression inflammatory markers in guinea pigs. For that purpose, we fed guinea pigs a hypercholesterolemic (0.25 g/100g dietary cholesterol) diet for 12 weeks to induce liver injury. Guinea pigs consumed either 0.9 mg/d of regular lutein (control) (n= 8 guinea pigs) or a nano‐emulsion (NANO) (average diameter 422 nm) (n = 8 guinea pigs). Plasma lipids and glucose were not different between treatments. However hepatic alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), markers of liver function were 54 and 50% lower, respectively in guinea pigs fed the NANO emulsion (p< 0.005). Hepatic and plasma lutein were measured by HPLC and gene expression was evaluated by use of RT‐PCR. There were no significant differences between groups in either plasma or hepatic lutein concentrations, although there was a trend for higher plasma lutein in the NANO group (p=0.084). Gene expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 was not different between groups. In contrast although the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐alpha was 70% higher in guinea pigs fed the control group, they were not different between groups due to the high variability. These results indicate that using the same amount of dietary lutein, a nano‐emulsion is more effective in protecting the liver against diet‐induced inflammation.Grant Funding Source: UConn Experimental Station