title: Daily supplementation with fresh pomegranate juice increases paraoxonase 1 expression and activity in mice fed a high-fat diet.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies have found that pomegranate juice (PJ) consumption increases the binding of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) to paraoxonase 1 (PON1), thus increasing the catalytic activity of this enzyme. PON1 is an antioxidant arylesterase synthesized in the liver and transported in plasma in association with HDL. Decreased levels of PON1 are associated with higher levels of cholesterol. We determined the effects of PJ on body weight, cholesterol, and triacylglycerols through 5 months of supplementation. In addition, the effect of PJ on pon1 gene expression in the liver was also measured by RT-qPCR as well as the activity in serum by a semiautomated method using paraoxon as a substrate.
  
  
  METHODS
  CD-1 mice were either fed a control diet or were fed a high-fat diet 1.25% (wt/wt) cholesterol, 0.5% (wt/wt) sodium cholate, and 15% (wt/wt) saturated fat. 300 μL of PJ containing 0.35 mmol total polyphenols was administered by oral gavage to half of the high fat mice daily. The rest of the high fat mice and the control mice were administered with 300 μL of water.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PJ-supplemented animals had significantly higher levels of expression of pon1 compared to the unsupplemented group. PJ-supplemented animals had twice the PON1 activity of the unsupplemented group. In addition, PJ-supplemented animals had the lowest body weight and significantly reduced cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels, although the tricylglycerol levels were not consistently decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that PJ protects against the effects of a high-fat diet in body weight, and cholesterol levels.
authors.affiliation: Área Académica de Nutrición, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca de Soto, Mexico.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Estrada-Luna
authors.affiliation: Área Académica de Nutrición, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca de Soto, Mexico.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-Hinojosa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cancino-Diaz
authors.affiliation: Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, Stuttgart, AR, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Belefant-Miller
authors.affiliation: Área Académica de Nutrición, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca de Soto, Mexico.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: López-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Área Académica de Nutrición, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca de Soto, Mexico. gbetanzo@uaeh.edu.mx.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Betanzos-Cabrera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005638:Fruit; D000067030:Fruit and Vegetable Juices; D015870:Gene Expression; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D029561:Lythraceae; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase; C560867:PON1 protein, mouse
keywords: High-fat diet; Obesity; Paraoxonase1; Pomegranate juice