title: Dietary silicon-enriched spirulina improves early atherosclerosis markers in hamsters on a high-fat diet.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary silicon-enriched spirulina (SES) on atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hamsters (six per group) on a high-fat (HF) diet received SES or non-enriched spirulina (both at 57 mg/kg body weight) daily. This corresponded to 0.57 mg silicon/kg body weight daily.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HF diet induced dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and vascular dysfunction. Compared with the HF group, SES attenuated increases of lipemia and prevented insulin resistance (IR) (P = 0.001). SES protected against oxidative stress through a reduction of heart (P = 0.006) and liver (P < 0.0001) nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase activity and by sparing the activity of superoxide dismutase (P = 0.0017) and glutathione peroxidase (P = 0.01861). SES decreased inflammation, lowering tumor necrosis factor-α (P = 0.0006) and interleukin-6 levels (P = 0.0112), decreasing polymorphonuclear cells and preventing nuclear factor-κB activity (P = 0.0259). SES corrected plasma level of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (P = 0.0380), which was increased by the HF diet. Finally, SES supplementation prevented vascular and endothelial functions assessed respectively by the contractile response to the agonist phenylephrine and the relaxation induced by acetylcholine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SES protects against metabolic imbalance, inflammation, oxidative stress, and vascular dysfunction induced by an HF diet, and could prevent the atherogenic processes. Synergistic effects between spirulina and silicon were observed.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolism, UMR 204 NUTRIPASS, Prevention of Malnutrition and Linked Pathologies, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Joris
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vidé
authors.affiliation: INSERM U1046, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Virsolvy
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolism, UMR 204 NUTRIPASS, Prevention of Malnutrition and Linked Pathologies, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romain
authors.affiliation: Anatomy-Pathology, Guy de Chauliac Hospital-University Center, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Phyco-Biotech, Rue Maurice Béjart, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jouy
authors.affiliation: INSERM U1046, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolism, UMR 204 NUTRIPASS, Prevention of Malnutrition and Linked Pathologies, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cristol
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolism, UMR 204 NUTRIPASS, Prevention of Malnutrition and Linked Pathologies, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaillet
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Metabolism, UMR 204 NUTRIPASS, Prevention of Malnutrition and Linked Pathologies, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France. Electronic address: Jm.rouanet@univ-montp2.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-Max
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rouanet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015415:Biomarkers; D006224:Cricetinae; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004357:Drug Synergism; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D012825:Silicon / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053545:Spirulina; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D014131:Trace Elements; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D012825:Silicon
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Hamsters; Liver inflammation; Oxidative stress; Silicon-enriched spirulina