title: Inulin attenuates atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.
abstract: Effects of different inulin-type fructan fractions were studied on atherosclerotic plaque formation in male apo E-deficient mice. Thirty-two mice were randomly divided into four groups and received either a semi-purified sucrose-based diet (control group), or diets in which sucrose was replaced in part by various inulin-type fructans (10 g/100 g): long-chain inulin, oligofructose, or an oligofructose-enriched inulin for 16 weeks. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques was assessed by histomorphometry in the aortic sinus. The apo E-deficient mice fed long-chain inulin or an oligofructose-enriched inulin had about 35 % and 25 % less atherosclerotic lesion area compared with the control group, respectively. Feeding long-chain inulin significantly reduced plasma cholesterol concentrations (P<0.001), and the three inulin-type fructans reduced triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations compared with the control group (P<0.001). Both the long-chain inulin and an oligofructose-enriched inulin significantly lowered hepatic cholesterol concentrations compared with the control diet (P<0.05). Hepatic TAG concentrations were significantly lower in all three groups fed the fructan-supplemented diets v. the control group (P<0.0001). The results of the present study suggest that inhibition of atherosclerotic plaque formation is more potent in the presence of long-chain inulin, either alone or in combination with oligofructose (an oligofructose-enriched inulin), and that this probably is related to changes in lipid metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Equipe Stress Métabolique et Micronutriments, Unité de Nutrition Humaine UMR1019, INRA, Theix, Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rault-Nania
authors.forename: Elyett
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gueux
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demougeot
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demigné
authors.forename: Edmond
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rock
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007444:Inulin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012850:Sinus of Valsalva / Q000473:pathology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D014280:Triglycerides; C120489:oligofructose; D007444:Inulin; D002784:Cholesterol