Olive Oil Diet Research Articles

Dietary lipids differentially modulate the initiation of experimental breast carcinogenesis through their influence on hepatic xenobiotic metabolism and DNA damage in the mammary gland

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide. In addition to reproductive factors, environmental factors such as nutrition and xenobiotic exposure have a role in the etiology of this malignancy. A stimulating and a potentially protective effect on experimental breast cancer has been previously described for high corn oil and high extra-virgin olive oil diets, respectively. This work investigates the effect of these lipids on the metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that can initiate carcinogenesis and its consequences in an experimental rat breast cancer model. The PUFA n-6-enriched diet increased expression of Phase I enzymes prior to DMBA administration and raised the activity of CYP1s in the hours immediately after induction, while reducing the activity of Phase II enzymes, mainly NQO1. The levels of reactive metabolites measured in plasma by GC–MS and DMBA-DNA adducts in the mammary gland of the animals fed the high corn oil diet were also higher than in the other groups. On the other hand, the high extra-virgin olive oil diet and the control low-fat diet exhibited better coordinated Phase I and Phase II activity, with a lower production of reactive metabolites and less DNA damage in the mammary gland. The concordance between these effects and the different efficacy of the carcinogenesis process due to the dietary treatment suggest that lipids may differently modify mammary gland susceptibility or resistance to cancer initiation over the exposure to environmental carcinogens. SummaryDietary lipids influence the initiation of DMBA-induced mammary cancer through the modulation of liver xenobiotic metabolism, formation of reactive metabolites and subsequent DNA damage in the target tissue.

Evaluation of the biochemical responses of catfish (<i>Clarias gariepinus</i> Burchell, 1822) after replacing fish oil with plant-based oils in their diets

This study evaluated biochemical responses of Clarias gariepinus after replacing fish oil with plantbased oils in their diets. The sources of oils were coconut, olive, crude palm, sunflower and sesame seed. These oils were incorporated at 7% level to produce five isonitrogenous (41.03% protein) diets.The sixth diet contained fish oil and served as control experiment. Feeding trial was conducted in floating hapa (1m3) system for 12 weeks. At harvest, blood samples were taken and examined for serum protein, albumin, globulin, electrolytes and tissue lipid peroxidation. Results showed that kidney function parameters (protein, albumin and globulin) increased significantly (p 0.05) was observed in MDA formation in fish fed olive oil and control diets. Inferences from this study conclusively support the direct use of palm and olive oils as total replacement for fish oil in diets of Clarias gariepinus . Key Words : Clarias gariepinus , fish oil, plant oils, substitution, fish health, fish diet.

Maternal intake of dietary virgin coconut oil modifies essential fatty acids and causes low body weight and spiky fur in mice

BackgroundCoconut oil is commonly used as herbal medicine worldwide. There is limited information regarding its effects on the developing embryo and infant growth.MethodsWe investigated the effect of virgin coconut oil post-natally and until 6 weeks old in mice (age of maturity). Females were fed with either standard, virgin olive oil or virgin coconut oil diets 1 month prior to copulation, during gestation and continued until weaning of pups. Subsequently, groups of pups borne of the respective diets were continuously fed the same diet as its mother from weaning until 6 weeks old. Profiles of the standard and coconut oil diets were analysed by gas chromatography flame ionization detector (GCFID).ResultsAnalysis of the mean of the total weight gained/ loss over 6 weeks revealed that in the first 3 weeks, pups whose mothers were fed virgin coconut oil and virgin olive oil have a significantly lower body weight than that of standard diet pups. At 6 weeks of age, only virgin coconut oil fed pups exhibited significantly lower body weight. We report that virgin coconut oil modifies the fatty acid profiles of the standard diet by inducing high levels of medium chain fatty acids with low levels of essential fatty acids. Furthermore, pups borne by females fed with virgin coconut oil developed spiky fur.ConclusionOur study has demonstrated that virgin coconut oil could affect infant growth and appearance via maternal intake; we suggest the use of virgin coconut oil as herbal medicine to be treated with caution.

Including Extra Virgin Olive Oil May More Improve Glycemic Control despite Similar Weight Loss Compared to the Diet Recommended by the Prostate Cancer Foundation: A Randomized, Pilot Study

Recommendations for prostate cancer treatment include weight loss, but the most efficacious diet has not been determined. Men on active surveillance or with untreated biochemical relapse consumed both the diet recommended by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and a plant-based that included three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil per day for 8 weeks of weight loss and improvement in some laboratory biomarkers with random assignment to the diet order. They then selected one of the diets for six months of follow-up. Thirty men started the protocol and 18 completed the 44 week study. Mean age: 66.6 ± 5.9 years; baseline body mass index: 30.9 ± 2.7 kg/m2. Weight loss was comparable between the diets after 8 weeks (PCF: 2.5% ± 3.1% v olive oil: 2.8% ± 3.7%; p = 0.86), but the diet that included olive oil resulted in lower insulin (PCF: 13.7 ± 7.0 mU/L v olive oil: 11.5 ± 4.4 mU/L; p = 0.02), glucose (PCF: 104.9 ± 9.9 mg/dl v 99.1 ± 9.6 mg/dl; p = 0.01), and HOMA-IR (PCF: 3.6 ± 2.1 v olive oil: 2.9 ± 1.2; p = 0.02). Thirteen of the 18 men choose the olive oil diet for six months of follow-up and weight loss and lab improvements were maintained. This pilot study indicates that both the PCF diet and the plant-based diet that included extra virgin olive oil can produce similar weight loss short-term. However, a plant-based diet that includes extra virgin olive may be more acceptable for long-term use, and produce better glycemic control.

Different Dietary Proportions of Fish Oil Regulate Inflammatory Factors but Do Not Change Intestinal Tight Junction ZO-1 Expression in Ethanol-Fed Rats.

Sixty male Wistar rats were fed a control or an ethanol-containing diet in groups C or E. The fat compositions were adjusted with 25% or 57% fish oil substituted for olive oil in groups CF25, CF57, EF25, and EF57. Hepatic thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) levels, cytochrome P450 2E1 protein expression, and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α, interleukin- (IL-) 1β, IL-6, and IL-10 levels, as well as intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 levels were significantly elevated, whereas plasma adiponectin level was significantly reduced in group E (p < 0.05). Hepatic histopathological scores of fatty change and inflammation, in group E were significantly higher than those of group C (p < 0.05). Hepatic TBARS, plasma ICAM-1, and hepatic TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10 levels were significantly lower, and plasma adiponectin levels were significantly higher in groups EF25 and EF57 than those in group E (p < 0.05). The immunoreactive area of the intestinal tight junction protein, ZO-1, showed no change between groups C and E. Only group CF57 displayed a significantly higher ZO-1 immunoreactive area compared to group C (p = 0.0415). 25% or 57% fish oil substituted for dietary olive oil could prevent ethanol-induced liver damage in rats, but the mechanism might not be related to intestinal tight junction ZO-1 expression.

Dietary olive oil induces cannabinoid CB2 receptor expression in adipose tissue ofApcMin/+ transgenic mice.

BACKGROUND: Cannabinoid- 2 (CB2) receptor is known for its anti-obesity effects silencing the activated immune cells that are key drivers of metabolic syndrome and inflammation. Nutritional interventions in experimental models of carcinogenesis have been demonstrated to modulate tissue inflammation state and proliferation.OBJECTIVE: Aim of this study was to test, in ApcMin/+ mice, whether a diet enriched with olive oil, omega- 3 and omega-6- PUFAs affects the adipose tissue inflammation status.METHODS: Four groups of animal were studied: ST group, receiving a standard diet; OO group, receiving the standard diet in which soybean oil (source of fats) was replaced with olive oil; OM-3 group, receiving the standard diet in which soybean oil was replaced with salmon oil; OM-6 group, receiving the standard diet in which soybean oil was replaced with oenothera oil. Gene and protein expression, in adipose tissue, were evaluated by RT-PCR and Western Blotting, respectively. Enzymatic activities were assayed by fluorescent and radiometric method, where appropriated.RESULTS: The diet enriched with olive oil significantly induced CB2 receptor expression and it was able to control inflammatory and proliferative activity of mice adipose tissue.CONCLUSIONS: The present findings open opportunities for developing novel nutritional strategies considering olive oil a key ingredient of a healthy dietary pattern.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Reduced Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid and Cholesterol Oxidation in Rodent Liver: Is This Accounted for Hydroxytyrosol-Fatty Acid Conjugation?

The effects of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced oxidative stress in rats were determined by the generation of isoprostanoids. These are known to be robust biomarkers to evaluate nonenzymatic and free radical related oxidation. Other oxidative stress biomarkers such as hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid products (HETEs) and cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) were also determined. The rodents received a control diet, high-fat diet (20% w/w) composed of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), corn oil (CO), or lard, and high-fat diets with CCl4 insult throughout the experimental period. The EVOO diet was found to suppress the formation of isoprostanoids and COPs compared to that of the control. EVOO also had a high total phenolic content and antioxidant activity compared to those of CO and lard and may be contributed to by the hydroxytyrosol component conjugated to fatty acids (HT-FA). This is the first study to identify HT-FA in EVOO, and it was 4-fold higher than that of olive oil, whereas none was found in corn oil. Furthermore, the EVOO diet showed reduced liver lipid vesicles in CCl4 treated rats compared to that of the control. However, liver toxicity measurements of AST (aspartate transaminase) and ALT (alanine transaminase) activities showed augmentation with CCl4 treatment but were not alleviated by the diets given. Our findings suggest that EVOO is a daily functional food capable of enhancing the antioxidant system for liver protection; the effect is potentially attributed to the phenolic and lipophenolic (phenol conjugated by fatty acids) content.

Thirteen year followup of managing patients with known coronary artery disease using a lectin-limited, high dose olive oil and polyphenol rich diet

Thirteen year followup of managing patients with known coronary artery disease using a lectin-limited, high dose olive oil and polyphenol rich diet

Dietary Lipid Type, Rather Than Total Number of Calories, Alters Outcomes of Enteric Infection in Mice.

Dietary lipids modulate immunity, yet the means by which specific fatty acids affect infectious disease susceptibility remains unclear. Deciphering lipid-induced immunity is critical to understanding the balance required for protecting against pathogens while avoiding chronic inflammatory diseases. To understand how specific lipids alter susceptibility to enteric infection, we fed mice isocaloric, high-fat diets composed of corn oil (rich in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids [n-6 PUFAs]), olive oil (rich in monounsaturated fatty acids), or milk fat (rich in saturated fatty acids) with or without fish oil (rich in n-3 PUFAs). After 5 weeks of dietary intervention, mice were challenged with Citrobacter rodentium, and pathological responses were assessed. Olive oil diets resulted in little colonic pathology associated with intestinal alkaline phosphatase, a mucosal defense factor that detoxifies lipopolysaccharide. In contrast, while both corn oil and milk fat diets resulted in inflammation-induced colonic damage, only milk fat induced compensatory protective responses, including short chain fatty acid production. Fish oil combined with milk fat, unlike unsaturated lipid diets, had a protective effect associated with intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity. Overall, these results reveal that dietary lipid type, independent of the total number of calories associated with the dietary lipid, influences the susceptibility to enteric damage and the benefits of fish oil during infection.

High Olive Oil vs. High Safflower Oil Diets Produce Different Metabolic Abnormalities in Rats

Olive oil (~72% monounsaturated fat) and safflower oil (~78% ω‐6 polyunsaturated fat) are regarded as healthful by the general public. To assess the effects of high intakes of these oils, we fed male Sprague Dawley rats ad libitum diets containing 55% of energy as olive oil (OHF, N=20) or safflower oil (SHF, N=20), using a 15% fat diet as the control (LF, N=20), for 8 wk. OHF and SHF rats exhibited similar energy intakes throughout the study. At wk 8, % body fat of the HF groups similarly exceeded those of the LF group (OHF~SHF &gt; LF, p &lt; 0.01 ).Plasma glucose levels after fasting, or after a high‐carbohydrate meal, were similar in all groups. At wk 8, fasting plasma insulin levels were higher in OHF than SHF or LF rats (p&lt; 0.01) and HOMA‐IR was higher in OHF vs. SHF rats (p&lt;0.05), evidencing insulin resistance in the OHF group. Plasma insulin levels increased in LF and SHF (p &lt; 0.005) but not in OHF rats following the high‐carbohydrate meal, reflecting a blunted insulin secretory response to glucose in OHF rats. Fasting free fatty acid (FFA) levels were higher in LF than in OHF or SHF rats (p &lt; 0.05); following insulin injection ( 0.75 U/kg), FFA levels decreased in the LF and OHF groups (p &lt; 0.005), but increased in SHF rats (p &lt; 0.05), indicating a diminished antilipolytic effect of insulin on adipose tissue in the SHF group. These findings suggest that high intakes of olive oil impair the regulation of insulin release and its effect on plasma glucose levels, whereas high intakes of safflower oil impair suppression of lipolysis by insulin.Support or Funding InformationNIGMS 1SC3GM086298 PSC‐CUNY 6783300‐45

The Effect of Camellia Seed Oil Intake on Lipid Metabolism in Mice

Camellia seed oil has mainly been applied to the production of cosmetics, and research into its dietary effects is required. Alterations in lipid metabolism by the intake of camellia seed oil were investigated. Health parameters such as diet intake, weight gain, fat mass, and plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels were measured in mice fed a high fat diet containing camellia seed oil; comparisons were made to a normal diet and a high fat diet containing either soybean oil or olive oil as controls. No significant differences in weight gain and diet intake were observed between the groups. However, the camellia seed oil diet suppressed epididymal fat weight similarly to the olive oil diet. In total cholesterol and HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels, the soybean oil, olive oil and camellia seed oil diet groups showed significant increases compared with the normal diet. However, increases in LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels were inhibited by the camellia seed oil diet similarly to the olive oil diet. As the high oleic acid content of camellia seed oil is similar to that of olive oil, it is proposed that its presence mitigated fat accumulation and plasma cholesterol levels.

Oleic acid, hydroxytyrosol and n-3 fatty acids collectively modulate colitis through reduction of oxidative stress and IL-8 synthesis; in vitro and in vivo studies

Our recent study has demonstrated that medium chain triglycerides (MCT) and monounsaturated fatty acids potentiate the beneficial effects of fish oil on risk factors of cardiovascular disease. In the present study, we have investigated the influence of MCT or olive oil on the protective and mucosal healing ability of fish oil in ulcerative colitis using cell simulation and animal models. Caco-2 cells grown in medium chain fatty acids enriched medium has exaggerated t-butyl hydroperoxide induced cell damage, GSH depletion, and IL-1β induced IL-8 synthesis, compared to the cells grown in oleic acid & hydroxytyrosol (OT) enriched medium. Further, combined treatment of cells with eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and OT has remarkably attenuated the cell damage, and IL-8 synthesis, compared to individual treatments. To evaluate the effect of these lipid formulations in vivo, adult Wistar rats were fed diet enriched with high amount of medium chain triglycerides (MCT), virgin olive oil, or their combination with fish oil. Colitis was induced in rats using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 7days followed by 10-days of recovery period. Rats of MCT group exhibit severe disease activity, higher levels of inflammatory cytokines in the colon compared to the olive oil group. Furthermore, there was persistent body weight loss, loose stools, higher levels of inflammatory cytokines in the rats of MCT group, even after DSS was withdrawn from drinking water. Conversely, fish oil has remarkably attenuated the DSS induced alterations in both MCT and olive oil diet groups with significantly greater effect in the olive oil group. Thus, MCT increase the susceptibility to colitis through oxidative damage and IL-8 synthesis in intestinal epithelial cells. The beneficial effects of virgin olive oil could be partially attributed to hydroxytyrosol. Combined treatment of hydroxytyrosol, oleic acid and n-3 fatty acids exhibit huge therapeutic benefits in colitis.

Olive Oil and the Hallmarks of Aging.

Aging is a multifactorial and tissue-specific process involving diverse alterations regarded as the “hallmarks of aging”, which include genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, deregulated nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion and altered intracellular communication. Virtually all these hallmarks are targeted by dietary olive oil, particularly by virgin olive oil, since many of its beneficial effects can be accounted not only for the monounsaturated nature of its predominant fatty acid (oleic acid), but also for the bioactivity of its minor compounds, which can act on cells though both direct and indirect mechanisms due to their ability to modulate gene expression. Among the minor constituents of virgin olive oil, secoiridoids stand out for their capacity to modulate many pathways that are relevant for the aging process. Attenuation of aging-related alterations by olive oil or its minor compounds has been observed in cellular, animal and human models. How olive oil targets the hallmarks of aging could explain the improvement of health, reduced risk of aging-associated diseases, and increased longevity which have been associated with consumption of a typical Mediterranean diet containing this edible oil as the predominant fat source.

Palm Based High-Oleic Cooking Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Diets do not Affect Markers of Insulin Resistance and Glucose Tolerance in Overweight Adults

Palm Based High-Oleic Cooking Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Diets do not Affect Markers of Insulin Resistance and Glucose Tolerance in Overweight Adults Background: High oleic blended cooking oil (HOBO) is an oil product of blended palm olein and canola oil with monounsaturated oleic acid as dominant fatty acid. This blend has increased the amount of oleic acid to more than 50%, with cold stability which is suitable for cooking usage in temperate countries. However, the effects of HOBO diet in human nutrition have not been studied extensively. Objective: We aimed to compare the effects of HOBO vs. oleic acid-rich extra virgin olive oil (OO) diets on markers of insulin resistance and glucose tolerance in overweight subjects. Design: A single-blind, randomized crossover study with 3 dietary interventions of 6-wk each (3-wk washout in between) was conducted in 32 overweight subjects. The 3 test fats were HOBO, OO and refined, bleached and deodorized coconut oil CO incorporated at two-thirds of 30% kcal fat containing 55% kcal from carbohydrates and 15% kcal from protein. Results: No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed in the effects of the 3 diets on markers of insulin resistance [glucose, c-peptide, insulin, fructosamine, Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), homeostasis model assessment of beta cell function index (HOMA-β), and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI)] and glucose tolerance. Conclusions: HOBO diet did not alter markers of insulin resistance and glucose tolerance in overweight Malaysian adults compared with that of OO and CO diets.

Fish oil diet in pregnancy and lactation reduces pup weight and modifies newborn hepatic metabolic adaptations in rats.

To determine the effects of a diet containing fish oil (FD) during pregnancy and lactation in rats on the metabolic adaptations made by the offspring during early extrauterine life and to compare it to an olive oil diet (OD). Rats were mated and randomly allocated to OD or FD containing 10% of the corresponding oil. During lactation, litters were adjusted to eight pups per dam. Fetuses of 20days and pups of 0, 1, 10, 20 and 30days of age were studied. Body weight and length were lower in pups of the FD group from birth. The diet, milk, pups' plasma and liver of FD group had higher proportions of n-3 LCPUFA, but the content of arachidonic acid (ARA) was lower. Plasma glucose was higher, but unesterified fatty acids, triacylglycerols (TAG), 3-hydroxybutyrate and liver TAG in 1-day-old pups were lower in the FD group, and differences in some of these variables were also found in pups up to 30days old. Liver lipoprotein lipase activity and mRNA expression, and the expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I, acyl-CoA oxidase and 3-hydroxy 3-methyl glutaryl-CoA synthase increased more at birth in pups of the FD group, but the expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c and Δ6-desaturase mRNA was lower in the FD group. Maternal intake of high n-3 LCPUFA retards postnatal development, which could be the result of impaired ARA synthesis, and affects hepatic metabolic adaptations to extrauterine life.

Dietary Olive and Perilla Oils Affect Liver Mitochondrial DNA Methylation in Large Yellow Croakers1–3

Background: Substantial progress has been made in nutritional epigenetics, but little is known regarding whether mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) methylation is involved in this process.Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether dietary lipid sources [various fatty acids (FAs)] modify mtDNA methylation.Methods: A total of 600 large yellow croakers (Larimichthys crocea) with an average initial weight of 151 ± 4 g were fed 1 of 5 diets (3 replicate cages/treatment) containing either fish oil (FO) (control), palmitic acid, olive oil (OO), sunflower oil, or perilla oil (PO) as the dietary lipid source (12% dry weight of the diet) for 70 d. Pyrosequencing was used to determine the effects of dietary lipid sources (FAs) on mtDNA methylation.Results: Mitochondrial arginine transfer RNA and NAD(H) dehydrogenase 4L encoding region methylation in the liver was higher in the OO (9.5% ± 0.52%; P < 0.05) and PO (7.3% ± 0.33%; P < 0.05) groups than in the FO (5.9% ± 0.42%) group, whereas 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) methylation in the liver was lower in the OO group (2.7% ± 0.22%) than in the FO group (4.2% ± 0.73%) (P < 0.05). Additionally, fish fed the OO diet had lower liver mRNA levels of ND3 (P < 0.05), ND4L (P < 0.05), ND6 (P < 0.05), 12S rRNA (P < 0.05), and 16S rRNA (P < 0.05) than those fed the FO diet, whereas fish fed the PO diet had lower liver mRNA levels of 16S rRNA than those fed the FO diet (P < 0.05). Moreover, fish fed the OO (P < 0.05) or PO (P < 0.05) diet had lower liver mitochondrial complex I activity than did those fed the FO diet.Conclusions: These findings provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, that dietary lipid sources influence mitochondrial function through mtDNA methylation in large yellow croakers.

The Role of Dietary Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Corn Oil on the Alteration of Epigenetic Patterns in the Rat DMBA-Induced Breast Cancer Model.

Disruption of epigenetic patterns is a major change occurring in all types of cancers. Such alterations are characterized by global DNA hypomethylation, gene-promoter hypermethylation and aberrant histone modifications, and may be modified by environment. Nutritional factors, and especially dietary lipids, have a role in the etiology of breast cancer. Thus, we aimed to analyze the influence of different high fat diets on DNA methylation and histone modifications in the rat dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer model. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a low-fat, a high corn-oil or a high extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) diet from weaning or from induction with DMBA. In mammary glands and tumors we analyzed global and gene specific (RASSF1A, TIMP3) DNA methylation by LUMA and bisulfite pyrosequencing assays, respectively. We also determined gene expression and enzymatic activity of DNA methyltransferases (DNMT1, DNMT3a and DNMT3b) and evaluated changes in histone modifications (H3K4me2, H3K27me3, H4K20me3 and H4K16ac) by western-blot. Our results showed variations along time in the global DNA methylation of the mammary gland displaying decreases at puberty and with aging. The olive oil-enriched diet, on the one hand, increased the levels of global DNA methylation in mammary gland and tumor, and on the other, changed histone modifications patterns. The corn oil-enriched diet increased DNA methyltransferase activity in both tissues, resulting in an increase in the promoter methylation of the tumor suppressor genes RASSF1A and TIMP3. These results suggest a differential effect of the high fat diets on epigenetic patterns with a relevant role in the neoplastic transformation, which could be one of the mechanisms of their differential promoter effect, clearly stimulating for the high corn-oil diet and with a weaker influence for the high EVOO diet, on breast cancer progression.

Effect of Kelussia odoratissima Mozaffarian on Lipid and Glucose Profile

Background: Flavonoids are a group of polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant properties that help reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Kelussia odoratissima is a flavonoid-containing plant, the effect of which was analyzed on decreasing blood lipid levels in mice. Objectives: The present study was carried out with the aim of determining the anti-hyperlipidemia effects of this herb on mice. Materials and Methods: In this preclinical study, 70 Balb/c mice were divided to five 14-member groups and received normal diet, normal diet containing 5% olive oil, high cholesterol (2% cholesterol and 5% olive oil) diet and high cholesterol diet accompanied by Kelussia odoratissima 10% or 20% hydro-alcoholic extract. After two weeks, blood samples were taken and cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and fasting blood sugar (FBS) were measured. Results: In this animal model, the levels of all serum lipids including cholesterol, HDL, VLDL, LDL, triglyceride and FBS had a significant decrease two weeks after the beginning of the study. Moreover, at the same time, in the group that received 20% hydro-alcoholic extract, the serum levels of cholesterol, HDL and LDL had a significant decrease (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Kelussia odoratissima might have a desirable effect on serum lipid profile and might have beneficial effects on hyperlipidemic patients.

Diets high in corn oil or extra-virgin olive oil differentially modify the gene expression profile of the mammary gland and influence experimental breast cancer susceptibility.

Purpose Nutritional factors, especially dietary lipids, may have a role in the etiology of breast cancer. We aimed to analyze the effects of high-fat diets on the susceptibility of the mammary gland to experimental malignant transformation.MethodsFemale Sprague–Dawley rats were fed a low-fat, high-corn-oil, or high-extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) diet from weaning or from induction. Animals were induced with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene at 53 days and euthanized at 36, 51, 100 and 246 days. Gene expression profiles of mammary glands were determined by microarrays. Further molecular analyses were performed by real-time PCR, TUNEL and immunohistochemistry. Carcinogenesis parameters were determined at 105 and 246 days.ResultsHigh-corn-oil diet increased body weight and mass when administered from weaning. The EVOO diet did not modify these parameters and increased the hepatic expression of UCP2, suggesting a decrease in intake/expenditure balance. Both diets differentially modified the gene expression profile of the mammary gland, especially after short dietary intervention. Corn oil down-regulated the expression of genes related to immune system and apoptosis, whereas EVOO modified the expression of metabolism genes. Further analysis suggested an increase in proliferation and lower apoptosis in the mammary glands by effect of the high-corn-oil diet, which may be one of the mechanisms of its clear stimulating effect on carcinogenesis.ConclusionsThe high-corn-oil diet strongly stimulates mammary tumorigenesis in association with modifications in the expression profile and an increased proliferation/apoptosis balance of the mammary gland.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00394-015-0958-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Dietary extra-virgin olive oil and corn oil differentially modulate the mRNA expression of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in the liver and in the mammary gland in a rat chemically induced breast cancer model.

High extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) and corn oil diets differentially modulate experimental mammary carcinogenesis. We have investigated their influence on the initiation stage through the modulation of the expression of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes (XMEs) in the liver and the mammary gland. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a low-fat (LF), high corn oil (HCO), or high EVOO (HOO) diet from weaning and gavaged with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). The HCO diet increased the mRNA levels of the phase I enzymes CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and, to a lesser extent, CYP1B1, in the liver. The Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) seemed to be involved in this upregulated CYP1 expression. However, a slight trend toward an increase in the mRNA levels of the phase II enzymes GSTP1 and NQO1 was observed with the HOO diet. At least in the case of GSTP1, this effect was linked to an increased Nrf2 transactivation activity. This different regulation of the XMEs expression led, in the case of the HCO diet, to a balance between the production of active carcinogenic compounds and their inactivation tilted toward phase I, which would stimulate DMBA-induced cancer initiation, whereas the HOO diet was associated with a slower phase I metabolism accompanied by a faster phase II detoxification, thus reducing the output of the active compounds to the target tissues. In the mammary gland, the differential effects of diets may be conditioned by the state of cell differentiation, sexual maturity, and hormone metabolism.