Interacción de los compuestos fenólicos del aceite de oliva virgen con las rutas de señalizacion celular

Abstract

Introduction It has been speculated that the potential beneficial effects of olive oil could be due to modulation of genes involved in proliferative, antioxidant and inflammatory pathways. Research on the acting and mechanisms of phenolic compounds indicates that the beneficial effects associated with these compounds may not only be due to the elimination of free radicals, but could also modulate cell signalling processes, or could themselves act as signaling molecules. Methods Two virgin olive oil-based breakfasts with high (398 ppm) and low (70 ppm) content of phenolic compounds were administered to 20 patients with metabolic syndrome following a double-blinded random crossover design. Postprandial gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was analyzed at 4 hours by gene expression microarrays. Results We observed that the phenolic compounds of olive oil repressed the expression of 18 genes directly related to signalling processes, including 12 transcription factors involved in proliferation and cell growth. Conclusions Our results suggest that consumption of olive oil rich in phenolic compounds reduces the processes of cell proliferation in mononuclear cells in the postprandial state, which could reduce development of atherosclerosis.