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Flavanol Consumption in Healthy Men Preserves Integrity of Immunological-Endothelial Barrier Cell Functions:

Dragan Milenkovic1,2, Ana Rodriguez-Mateos3,4, Margarete Lucosz3

  • 1Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.

Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
|January 30, 2022
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Cocoa flavanols (CF) improve cardiovascular health by altering gene expression and DNA methylation. These changes support vascular protective effects and preserve immune-endothelial barrier functions.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional epigenetics
  • Cardiovascular biology
  • Molecular mechanisms of disease

Background:

  • Cocoa flavanol (CF) consumption is linked to improved cardiovascular risk biomarkers.
  • The precise molecular mechanisms behind CF's vascular protective effects remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the nutri(epi)genomic effects of CF consumption.
  • To identify regulatory networks that may mediate CF's vascular health benefits.

Main Methods:

  • Healthy middle-aged men consumed CF (450 mg twice daily) or control drinks for one month.
  • Microarray analysis identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs); DNA methylation profiles were assessed.
  • In silico docking and plasma incubation assays validated biological functions.

Main Results:

  • CF consumption altered 2235 DEGs involved in immune response, cell adhesion, and cytoskeleton organization.
  • DEG patterns correlated with improved endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and blood pressure.
  • CF modulated DNA methylation of genes related to cell adhesion and signaling, and CF metabolites enhanced nitric oxide-dependent cell functions.

Conclusions:

  • CF consumption may exert vascular protective effects in healthy humans by modulating gene expression and DNA methylation.
  • These epigenetic modifications contribute to a cardiovascular protective effect by preserving immunological-endothelial barrier integrity.
Keywords:
DNA methylationclinical trialcocoa flavanolepicatechingenomics

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