title: Plant sterols from foods in inflammation and risk of cardiovascular disease: a real threat?
abstract: High dietary intakes of cholesterol together with sedentary habits have been identified as major contributors to atherosclerosis. The latter has long been considered a cholesterol storage disease; however, today atherosclerosis is considered a more complex disease in which both innate and adaptive immune-inflammatory mechanisms as well as bacteria play a major role, in addition to interactions between the arterial wall and blood components. This scenario has promoted nutritional recommendations to enrich different type of foods with plant sterols (PS) because of their cholesterol-lowering effects. In addition to cholesterol, PS can also be oxidized during food processing or storage, and the oxidized derivatives, known as phytosterol oxidation products (POPs), can make an important contribution to the negative effects of both cholesterol and cholesterol oxidation oxides (COPs) in relation to inflammatory disease onset and the development of atherosclerosis. Most current research efforts have focused on COPs, and evaluations of the particular role and physiopathological implications of specific POPs have been only inferential. Appreciation of the inflammatory role described for both COPs and POPs derived from foods also provides additional reasons for safety studies after long-term consumption of PS. The balance and relevance for health of all these effects deserves further studies in humans. This review summarizes current knowledge about the presence of sterol oxidation products (SOPs) in foods and their potential role in inflammatory process and cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Avda. Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alemany
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Avda. Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barbera
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Avda. Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alegría
authors.affiliation: Microbial Ecology and Nutrition Research Group, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Avda. Agustín Escardino 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: mlaparra@iata.csic.es.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Laparra
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D001682:Biological Availability; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D005502:Food / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D010840:Phytosterols; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol metabolism; Cholesterol oxidation products; Inflammation; Plant sterol oxidation products; Sterol oxides