Dietary patterns reflecting healthy food choices are associated with lower serum LPS activity

Aila J Ahola,Markku Lehto,Mariann I Lassenius,Valma Harjutsalo,Per-Henrik Groop,Carol Forsblom

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-06885-7

Abstract

Gram-negative bacteria-derived lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are associated with various negative health effects. Whether diet is associated with LPS, is an understudied phenomenon. We investigated the association between diet and serum LPS activity in 668 individuals with type 1 diabetes in the FinnDiane Study. Serum LPS activity was determined using the Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate assay. Diet was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) section of a diet questionnaire and a food record. The food record was used to calculate energy, macronutrient, and fibre intake. In a multivariable model, energy, macronutrient, or fibre intake was not associated with the LPS activity. Using factor analysis, we identified seven dietary patterns from the FFQ data (“Sweet”, “Cheese”, “Fish”, “Healthy snack”, “Vegetable”, “Traditional”, and “Modern”). In a multivariable model, higher factor scores of the Fish, Healthy snack, and Modern patterns predicted lower LPS activity. The validity of the diet questionnaire was also investigated. The questionnaire showed reasonable relative validity against a 6-day food record. The two methods classified participants into the dietary patterns better than expected by chance. In conclusion, healthy dietary choices, such as consumption of fish, fresh vegetables, and fruits and berries may be associated with positive health outcomes by reducing systemic endotoxaemia.

Highlights

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), frequently called endotoxins, are lipid-soluble outer-membrane components of Gram-negative bacteria[1]
In type 1 diabetes, we have previously shown that serum LPS activity is associated with the metabolic syndrome[10], visceral fat mass[11], and the development of diabetic nephropathy[12]
In this paper we report the results of an observational study investigating the association between diet and serum LPS activity in a group of well-characterized individuals with type 1 diabetes

Summary

Introduction

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), frequently called endotoxins, are lipid-soluble outer-membrane components of Gram-negative bacteria[1]. Despite the obvious importance of LPS in human health, only relatively few studies have been conducted to assess whether LPS levels could be affected by dietary means In one of these studies, Erridge et al reported increase in circulating endotoxin levels, in healthy subjects, following a high-fat meal[13]. Cream consumption induced a rise in the plasma LPS concentrations, in healthy normal-weight adults, while isoenergetic intake of glucose had no such effect[14]. In contrast to these observations, a high-fat low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet exhibited lower proinflammatory cytokine levels in an LPS-induced fever model[15]. A 6-month intervention with either a standard Healthy Eating diet or a modified Mediterranean diet was, insufficient to show any changes in the LPS-binding protein concentrations[18]

Methods

Results

Conclusion