Abstract
Postprandial inflammation and endotoxaemia are determinants of cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk which are amplified by high fat meals. We aimed to examine the determinants of postprandial inflammation and endotoxaemia in older and younger adults following a high fat mixed meal. In a randomised cross-over trial, healthy participants aged 20–25 and 60–75 years (n = 15/group) consumed a high-fat breakfast and a low-fat breakfast. Plasma taken at baseline and post-meal for 5 h was analysed for circulating endotoxin, cytokines (monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)), lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), and inflammatory gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Older subjects had lower baseline PBMC expression of glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX-1) but greater insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) and circulating MCP-1 compared to younger subjects. After either meal, there were no age differences in plasma, chylomicron endotoxin, or plasma LBP concentrations, nor in inflammatory cytokine gene and protein expression (MCP-1, IL-1β, and TNF-α). Unlike younger participants, the older group had decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD)-2 expression after the meals. After a high-fat meal, older adults have no increased inflammatory or endotoxin response, but an altered oxidative stress gene response compared with younger adults. Healthy older adults, without apparent metabolic dysfunction, have a comparable postprandial inflammatory and endotoxaemia response to younger adults.
Highlights
Ageing is associated with dysfunction of the maintenance of cardiovascular and metabolic health, likely aggravated by the current western lifestyle resulting in declining health and increase chronic disease risk
There were no differences in TAG incremental AUC (iAUC) between older and younger subjects after either meal, but iAUC was lower after the low fat meal (LF) meal in both groups
The time to maximum TAG concentration (Tmax ) was greater for older adults compared to younger adults after both the high‐fat meal (HF) and LF meals (Tmax HF 3 (IQR 3–4) vs. 2 (IQR 1.5–3) h and Tmax LF 4 (IQR 3–5) vs. 3
Summary
Ageing is associated with dysfunction of the maintenance of cardiovascular and metabolic health, likely aggravated by the current western lifestyle resulting in declining health and increase chronic disease risk. Chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with ageing and contributes to morbidity and mortality [1]. Evidence is mounting in support of chronic low-grade inflammation as a factor responsible in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) [5], along with other chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease or cancers [6] and, overall, as detrimental to healthy ageing [7]. Oxidative stress and inflammation contribute directly to the cellular senescence that helps perpetuate the condition of immune decline in ageing [8,9].
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