Location: Immunity and Disease Prevention Research
Project Number: 2032-53000-001-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated
Start Date: Jan 18, 2014
End Date: Jan 17, 2019
Objective:
Objective 1: Determine how diet quality (assessed using the Healthy Eating Index), nutritional status (assessed using biomarkers in a cross-sectional study) and adherence to a diet following Dietary Guidelines recommendations for intake of fat and fat-soluble vitamins affect immune function and inflammation.
1A: In the cross-sectional WHNRC Phenotyping Study (CSPS) determine if diet quality and intestinal dysbiosis are independently associated with systemic immune activation.
1B: In the WHNRC DGA Intervention Trial (IT) of adults with indicators of metabolic syndrome, determine if following the DGA diet improves markers of systemic and intestinal inflammation relative to a Typical American (TA) diet.
Objective 2: Determine the degree of modulation and the mechanism of activation or inhibition of blood monocytes by different types of dietary fatty acids (including saturated fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) and by fruit-derived dietary polyphenols or their metabolites.
2A: Determine (1) whether the high fat/sugar challenge meal administered during the CSPS induces postprandial monocyte activation; (2) whether this activation is mediated by saturated fatty acids; (3) whether and how the challenge meal-induced monocyte activation is suppressed by docosahexaenoic acid; and (4) in the DGA IT whether the diets affect challenge meal-induced monocyte activation.
2B: In subjects from the CSPS determine whether addition of DHA to the high fat/sugar challenge meal inhibits monocyte activation.
2C: In cell culture studies determine whether bioactive phytochemicals known to inhibit signaling pathways in monocytes, or their metabolites, also suppress SFA-induced monocyte activation.
Objective 3: Removed per the PDRAM.
Objective 4: Determine how diets enriched with polyphenol-rich fruits such as strawberries and grapes affect monocyte/macrophage function in obesity, determine possible chemical components of the fruits responsible for changes in function, and determine the mechanisms involved in changes in function.
4A: Determine if dietary strawberries and grapes affect monocyte/macrophage function, bacterial burden, morbidity and mortality in diet-induced obese mice infected with gram-negative bacteria.
4B: Determine if the polyphenols of strawberries and grapes are responsible for modulating monocytes in diet-induced obese mice infected with gram-negative bacteria.
4C: Determine mechanisms by which components of strawberries and grapes may modulate the function of monocytes isolated from diet-induced obese mice.
Approach:
Objective 1 will utilize samples exclusively from the two human studies, the Western Human Nutrition Research Center (WHNRC) Cross-Sectional Phenotyping Study and the WHNRC Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) Intervention Trial. Thus the designs of these studies are described under Objective 1 and the sample size calculations given relate to the goals of Objective 1.
1A: Such activation takes several forms and we will differentiate among pathways defined by the activity of pro-inflammatory T-helper (Th) cells (Th1, Th2 and Th17) and T-regulatory (Treg) cells. We hypothesize that those with low diet quality (including high solid fat and added sugar [SOFA] and low n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFA]), or low intake (or status) of key nutrients (including vitamin D) will have greater immune activation after adjustment for appropriate covariates (e.g., age, BMI and sex). In addition, we hypothesize that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota (e.g., high levels of Proteobacteria) will be associated with gut inflammation that, in turn, will be associated with systemic immune activation. Microbiota will be assessed in stool using 16S rRNA gene sequence and inflammation by stool calprotectin and neopterin levels.
1B: DGA diet is optimized to minimize inflammation by decreasing SOFA, and increasing vitamin D, n-3 PUFA, fruit and vegetable intake.
Objectives 2 will also utilize samples from both of these studies. In addition, Objectives will utilize cell culture methods to examine effects of dietary components on regulating cellular functions, including the effects of DHA (Objective 2B) and phytochemicals (Objectives 2C) on monocyte activation.
Objective 4 will utilize a mouse model to examine the effect of diets rich in strawberry and grape preparations (freeze-dried whole fruit or fruit extracts) on monocyte/macrophage function in mice fed standard and high-fat diets and infected with gram-negative bacteria. Cell culture studies will also be used to examine the effect of fruit-derived phytochemicals on monocyte/macrophage function.
