Wild Blueberry Consumption (V. angustifolium) Attenuates Local Inflammation in the Perivascular Adipose Tissue (PVAT) of the Obese Zucker Rat (OZR)

Abstract

PVAT has emerged as critical in vasoregulation and a link between systemic and local vascular inflammation.The role of wild blueberries (WB) was examined on Phenylephrine‐induced vasoconstriction (10‐8 to 3x10‐6M) in aortic rings with or without PVAT in 12 week‐old OZRs (n=16) and their lean littermates (LZR) (n=16) on a control (C) or an 8% WB diet for eight weeks. Interleukin (IL)‐8, monocyte chemoactractant protein (MCP)‐1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐a and adiponectin concentrations were measured in PVAT by ELISA.Maximal vasoconstriction force (Fmax) in aorta without PVAT was significantly lower in OZR‐C compared to LZR‐C (0.41 ± 0.05 and 0.71 ± 0.06 g, respectively). Following WB diet, a significant increase in Fmax was observed in the OZR group (0.54 ± 0.06 g). In aortic rings with PVAT, Fmax was significantly lower in all groups and all treatments (0.31 ± 0.06 OZR‐C, 0.30 ± 0.05 OZR‐WB, 0.29 ± 0.03 LZR‐C and 0.30 ± 0.04 g LZR‐WB), but no difference was observed between treatments.In PVAT, concentrations of MCP‐1, TNF‐a and adiponectin were significantly higher in OZR group compared to LZR (+102%, +108%, and +45%, respectively). Following the WB diet, concentrations of IL‐8 in PVAT were significantly lower in both OZR (–37%) and LZR (–30%), while adiponectin concentrations significantly increased in both OZR (+11%) and LZR (+16%). MCP‐1 concentrations significantly decreased (–31%) in the PVAT of OZR with WB diet.Thus wild blueberries have the potential to attenuate local inflammation in PVAT with possible implications on arterial function.Funded by the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission