Lipids and Cholesterol‐Lowering Activity of Red Cabbage Microgreens

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and diet‐induced hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor. Population, as well as experimental evidence, support that the consumption of a variety of vegetables can lower the risk of CVD through modulation of hypercholesterolemia. Microgreens are tiny edible greensharvested from vegetables and herbs at 7–14 days after germination, and are reported to possess a higher density of nutrients when compared to their mature counterparts. However, little is known about the health promoting efficacies of microgreens in terms of their effect on lipid and cholesterol levels. The present study used a rodent diet‐induced obesity model to address this question. C57B/6NCr mice (n=62, male, five week) were randomly assigned to six groups: 1) low fat diet (with 10% calories from fat); 2) high fat diet (with 45% calories from fat); 3) low fat diet+1.95%red cabbage microgreens; 4) low fat diet+1.95% mature red cabbage; 5) high fat diet+1.95% red cabbage microgreens; 6)high fat diet+1.95% mature red cabbage. The animals were on their respective diets for eight weeks. We found supplementing microgreens attenuated high fat diet induced weight gain after 8 weeks (17%). Moreover, we found microgreens significantly lowered circulating LDL levels (34%), hepatic triglycerides (23%)and cholesterol ester (65.5%) levels in animals fed a high fat diet. The effects of microgreens on hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol ester appeared to coincide with inhibition in triglycerides synthesis enzymes diacylglycerol O‐acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1), glycerol‐3‐phosphate acyltransferase (GPAM), cholesterolester synthesis enzymes acetyl‐CoA acetyltransferase 3 (ACAT3) and lecithin‐cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT). However, no changes in expression in the genes related to cholesterol metabolism including sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 2 (SREBP2), 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐CoA reductase (HMGCR), acyl‐CoA oxidase (ACOX), cytochrome P450, family 7, subfamily A, polypeptide 1 (CYP7A1) were observed. In summary, our data support dietary consumption of red cabbage microgreens modulates cholesterol metabolism, weight gain, and may protect against hypercholesterolemia and CVD.Support or Funding InformationThomas T. Y. Wang Address:Room 132, 10300Baltimore Ave, Bldg. 307‐C, BARC‐EAST, Beltsville, MD, 20705Phone number: 301‐504‐8459 Fax:301‐504‐9062Email address: tom.wang@ars.usda.gov