Pollutants and nutrition: Are methylmercury effects on blood pressure and lipoprotein profile comparable to high-fat diet in mice?

Human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) due to contaminated fish intake as part of a high-fat (HFD), high-carbohydrate diets is a reality today for many populations. HFD is associated with hypertension and hyperlipidemia, primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Some studies suggest that MeHg induces those risk factors. We evaluated the effect of MeHg exposure in mice fed with HFD or control diet for eight weeks. In the last experimental 15 days, the half group received a MeHg solution (20 mg/L) replacing water. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate, lipoprotein concentrations, and paraoxonase activity were evaluated. Liver cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and IBA-1+ cells, as well as transcriptional levels of genes related to lipid metabolism and inflammatory response, were also assessed. HFD and both MeHg groups presented increased BP and total cholesterol (TC). In the liver, HFD but not MeHg was related to an increase in TC. Also, MeHg intoxication reduced paraoxonase activity regardless of diet. MeHg intoxication and HFD increased steatosis and the number of IBA-1+ cells and modified some gene transcripts associated with lipid metabolism. In conclusion, we demonstrated that MeHg effects on CVD risk factors resemble those caused by HFD.

Myeloperoxidase activity and acute coronary syndrome survival: long-term evaluation in the ERICO study.

AIM: We aimed to analyze the influence of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity on mortality in the Acute Coronary Syndrome Registry Strategy (ERICO) study. METHODS: MPO activity levels were evaluated in 342 patients. We performed survival analyses using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression with respective hazard ratios, 95% CI, according to MPO tertiles distribution up to 7 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Higher MPO activity levels were seen in men, smokers, diabetics and those who were taking aspirin. MPO activity levels were neither significant in relation to mortality nor to survival rates up to seven years. CONCLUSION: We found no relationship between elevated levels of MPO activity post-acute coronary syndrome and mortality up to 7-years of follow-up in the ERICO study.

Conjugated linoleic acid prevents damage caused by intestinal mucositis induced by 5-fluorouracil in an experimental model.

BACKGROUND: Studies have showed the protective effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on intestinal epithelium, modulating host immune and inflammatory responses on intestinal diseases. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the preventive effects of CLA on the intestinal mucositis induced by 5-FU in a murine model. METHODS: Sixty-four BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: Control (CTL), fed a standard chow diet; CLAs, fed a diet supplemented with CLA; Mucositis (5-FU), fed a standard chow diet and underwent mucositis induction and CLAs 5-FU, fed a diet supplemented with CLA and underwent mucositis induction. Mucositis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 300 mg/kg 5-FU. After 72 h, the animals were euthanized and intestinal permeability, bacterial translocation, inflammatory mediators, and intestinal histology were evaluated. RESULTS: Mice in the CLAs 5-FU group showed reduced weight loss compared to those in the 5-FU group (p < 0.005). Furthermore, the results also showed that the treatment with CLA reduced intestinal permeability, bacterial translocation, and biomarkers of inflammatory response besides minor damage to ZO-1 and occludin with maintenance of the integrity of the intestinal epithelium and a favorable balance between the inflammatory and regulatory cytokines. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that CLA reduced the adverse effects from 5-FU administration on the intestinal mucosa.