Postprandial cell defense system responses to meal formulations: Stratification through gene expression profiling

SCOPE: Cell defenses regulating homeostatic control of postprandial stress are influenced by interindividual variation, food composition and health status. This study investigates effects of food composition on individual postprandial responses and associations with health.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Volunteers (n = 16) consumed four food formulations (50% unsaturated/saturated fat, with/without beetroot extract 10 g/100 g) on separate occasions. GeXP assay measured whole blood postprandial gene expression profiles of 28 cell defense markers at baseline and postprandial time points 1, 2, 4, 6, 24 h. Plasma markers of metabolic lipids, hormones, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and DNA damage/repair were also assessed. SIRT 1, UCP2, HO1, GSS, PTGS2, TP53, CDKN2A, PPIA, SOCS3, and APE1 expression profiles revealed distinct stratified subgroups associated with plasma HDLs, TNF-α and postprandial responses of SOCS3, and PPIA. Leptin, IL6, and DNA strand breaks revealed differing responses to fat type consumed.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates postprandial immune, inflammatory, redox, metabolic, and DNA repair responses that are largely independent of fat type consumed (unsaturated/saturated) or addition of beetroot extract, in apparently healthy individuals. However, postprandial responses can be characterized by regulation of gene expression associated with markers linked to health status and are subject to interindividual variation that can influence postprandial responses.