A high-fat meal induces low-grade endotoxemia: evidence of a novel mechanism of postprandial inflammation.
BACKGROUND
Bacterial endotoxin is a potently inflammatory antigen that is abundant in the human gut. Endotoxin circulates at low concentrations in the blood of all healthy individuals, although elevated concentrations are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine whether a high-fat meal or smoking increases plasma endotoxin concentrations and whether such concentrations are of physiologic relevance.


METHODS
Plasma endotoxin and endotoxin neutralization capacity were measured for 4 h in 12 healthy men after no meal, 3 cigarettes, a high-fat meal, or a high-fat meal with 3 cigarettes by using the limulus assay.


RESULTS
Baseline endotoxin concentrations were 8.2 pg/mL (interquartile range: 3.4-13.5 pg/mL) but increased significantly (P < 0.05) by approximately 50% after a high-fat meal or after a high-fat meal with cigarettes but not after no meal or cigarettes alone. These results were validated by the observations that a high-fat meal with or without cigarettes, but not no meal or smoking, also significantly (P < 0.05) reduced plasma endotoxin neutralization capacity, which is an indirect measure of endotoxin exposure. Human monocytes, but not aortic endothelial cells, were responsive to transient (30 s) or low-dose (10 pg/mL) exposure to endotoxin. However, plasma from whole blood treated with as little as 10 pg endotoxin/mL increased the endothelial cell expression of E-selectin, at least partly via tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced cellular activation.


CONCLUSIONS
Low-grade endotoxemia may contribute to the postprandial inflammatory state and could represent a novel potential contributor to endothelial activation and the development of atherosclerosis.
Erridge
Clett
C
Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom. clett.erridge@strath.ac.uk
Attina
Teresa
T
Spickett
Corinne M
CM
Webb
David J
DJ
D000328:Adult; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000009:adverse effects*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000502:physiology; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000502:physiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology
D004041:Dietary Fats; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha