title: In vivo transcriptomic profile after a Mediterranean diet in high-cardiovascular risk patients: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nutrients can exert healthy effects through nutrigenomic modulation. Data are scarce concerning the in vivo effect of a sustained traditional Mediterranean diet (TMD) pattern on the whole transcriptomic response.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We explored the overall nutrigenomic effect associated with a TMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We focused on biological pathways related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a subsample (n = 34) of the Prevención Con Dieta Mediterránea (PREDIMED) study, which was a large, parallel-group, multicenter, randomized controlled trial that aimed to assess the effects of TMD on the primary prevention of CVD in individuals with high cardiovascular risk. Participants were randomly assigned to a low-fat diet control group or TMD intervention groups [traditional Mediterranean diet supplemented with virgin olive oil (TMD+VOO) or traditional Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts (TMD+Nuts)] in equal proportions. Three-month changes in whole genome peripheral blood mononuclear cells were assessed by using whole transcriptome microarray analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A functional annotation analysis was performed on 241 selected responder genes after the TMD+VOO (139 upregulated and 102 downregulated genes), 312 selected responder genes after the TMD+Nuts (165 upregulated and 147 downregulated genes), and 145 selected responder genes after the low-fat (100 upregulated and 45 downregulated genes) diets. Of 18 cardiovascular canonical pathway analyses, 12 pathways were differentially expressed, and 43% of pathways were modulated by both TMDs; the most prevalent pathways were related to atherosclerosis and hypertension. After simultaneous testing adjustment, 9 pathways were modulated by the TMD+VOO diet, and 4 pathways were modulated by the TMD+Nuts diet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One of the mechanisms by which TMD, particularly if supplemented with virgin olive oil, can exert health benefits is through changes in the transcriptomic response of genes related to cardiovascular risk. This trial was registered at the London-based Current Controlled Trials register as ISRCTN35739639.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Castañer
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corella
authors.forename: Maria-Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Covas
authors.forename: José V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Sorlí
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Subirana
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flores-Mateo
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nonell
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bulló
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de la Torre
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Portolés
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fitó
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D054647:Nutrigenomics; D009754:Nuts; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D015398:Signal Transduction; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils