Abstract
The atherogenicity of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) may be more significant than LDL cholesterol levels. Clinical trials which have led to increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol have not always seen reductions in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Furthermore, genetic variants predisposing individuals to high HDL cholesterol are not associated with a lower risk of suffering a coronary event, and therefore HDL functionality is considered to be the most relevant aspect. Virgin olive oil (VOO) is thought to play a protective role against CVD. This review describes the effects of VOO and phenol-enriched VOOs on lipoprotein atherogenicity and HDL atheroprotective properties. The studies have demonstrated a decrease in LDL atherogenicity and an increase in the HDL-mediated macrophage cholesterol efflux capacity, HDL antioxidant activity, and HDL anti-inflammatory characteristics after various VOO interventions. Moreover, the expression of cholesterol efflux-related genes was enhanced after exposure to phenol-enriched VOOs in both post-prandial and sustained trials. Improvements in HDL antioxidant properties were also observed after VOO and phenol-enriched VOO interventions. Furthermore, some studies have demonstrated improved characteristics of TRL atherogenicity under postprandial conditions after VOO intake. Large-scale, long-term randomized clinical trials, and Mendelian analyses which assess the lipoprotein state and properties, are required to confirm these results.
Highlights
Large epidemiological studies in the 70th decade demonstrated a positive association between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (LDL-c) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as a negative association with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (HDL-c) [1,2]
It should be noted that triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs)-like particles enriched in saturated fatty acids or n-6 PUFAs up-regulate the hepatocyte very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion, whereas those enriched in MUFAs were unaffected, indicating that MUFAs from TRLs have minor effects on VLDL
Gene expression in the white blood cells of the cholesterol efflux transporter genes ABCA1, scavenger receptor B1 (SCARB1), and some transcription factors related to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα, PPARγ, PPARβ/δ, and MED1), increased after an acute intervention of an olive oil phenolic compounds (OOPCs)-enriched Virgin olive oil (VOO) (961 mg/kg) in pre-/hypertensive patients when compared with a control VOO
Summary
Large epidemiological studies in the 70th decade demonstrated a positive association between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (LDL-c) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as a negative association with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (HDL-c) [1,2]. Our group observed that VOO increased HDL-c and decreased in vivo lipid oxidative damage in a dose-dependent way with olive oil phenolic compounds (OOPCs) [50] In this context, the beneficial effects on the lipid profile of functional OOs enriched with PCs are to be expected. The PREDIMED clinical trial, a large clinical trial of the MD, demonstrated MD-mediated improvements to: a) a number of cardiovascular risk factors (classical and emerging), including: blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, lipid profile (increased HDL-c and decreased oxLDL), inflammation, oxidative stress, and carotid atherosclerosis; and b) hard-point clinical events such as the cardiovascular and total mortality risk [50,51,52]. OOs enriched with complementary phenols can obtain more beneficial effects, according to their structure/activity relationship, and can avoid the reversion of antioxidants to pro-oxidants [56,57,58]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
