Protective Effect of Dietary Fiber on Blood Pressure and Vascular Dysfunction Through Regulation of Sympathetic Tone and Immune Response in Genetic Hypertension.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether dietary fiber supplementation, specifically resistant starch (RS) and inulin-type fructans (ITF), could prevent cardiovascular damage and high blood pressure in a genetic model of neurogenic hypertension.
Results Summary
RS fiber reduced vascular oxidative stress, inflammation, and high blood pressure, while ITF failed to prevent hypertension or endothelial dysfunction. The benefits of RS were linked to reshaped gut microbiota, increased short-chain fatty acid production, and reduced sympathetic activity.
Population
Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
12 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
diet rich in RS fiber | decrease | vascular oxidative stress | spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) | - | reduced | #1 |
diet rich in RS fiber | decrease | inflammation | spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) | - | reduced | #2 |
diet rich in RS fiber | decrease | high blood pressure | spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) | - | reduced | #3 |
diet rich in RS fiber | increase | short-chain fatty acid production | spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) | - | increased | #4 |
diet rich in RS fiber | decrease | endotoxemia | spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) | - | reduced | #5 |
diet rich in RS fiber | decrease | sympathetic activity | spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) | - | decreased | #6 |
diet rich in RS fiber | neutral | Th17 and Treg lymphocytes in mesenteric lymph nodes and aorta | spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) | - | restored balance | #7 |
diet rich in RS fiber | increase | plasma levels of acetate and butyrate | SHR + RS group | - | elevated | #8 |
diet rich in RS fiber | increase | aortic GPR41, GRP43 and PPARδ | SHR + RS group | - | increased expression | #9 |
ITF treatment | no change | hypertension | SHR | - | failed to prevent | #10 |
ITF treatment | no change | endothelial dysfunction | SHR | - | failed to prevent | #11 |
FMT from the SHR + RS group | neutral | beneficial effects | recipient SHR | - | partially replicated | #12 |
dietary insoluble RS fiber | increase | short-chain fatty acids production in the gut | - | - | enhanced | #13 |
dietary insoluble RS fiber | increase | gut permeability | - | - | leads to improved | #14 |
dietary insoluble RS fiber | decrease | sympathetic tone | - | - | leads to reduced | #15 |
dietary insoluble RS fiber | decrease | vascular T-cell accumulation | - | - | leads to diminished | #16 |
The mechanisms underlying the antihypertensive effect of dietary fibers remain poorly understood. This study investigates whether dietary fiber supplementation can prevent cardiovascular damage and high blood pressure in a genetic model of neurogenic hypertension. Six-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and their respective normotensive control, Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY), were divided into four groups: Untreated WKY, untreated SHR, SHR treated with resistant starch (SHR + RS), and SHR treated with inulin-type fructans (SHR + ITF) for 12 weeks. Additionally, a faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiment was conducted, transferring faecal content from treated SHR donors to recipient SHRs. A diet rich in RS fiber reduced vascular oxidative stress, inflammation, and high blood pressure. These protective effects were associated with a reshaped gut microbiota, leading to increased short-chain fatty acid production, reduced endotoxemia, decreased sympathetic activity, and a restored balance between Th17 and Treg lymphocytes in mesenteric lymph nodes and aorta. Elevated plasma levels of acetate and butyrate in the SHR + RS group correlated with increased expression of aortic GPR41, GRP43 and PPARδ. Conversely, ITF treatment failed to prevent hypertension or endothelial dysfunction in SHR. FMT from the SHR + RS group to recipient SHR partially replicated these beneficial effects. This study highlights the antihypertensive benefits of dietary insoluble RS fiber, which are attributed to enhanced short-chain fatty acids production in the gut. This leads to improved gut permeability, reduced sympathetic tone, and diminished vascular T-cell accumulation. Therefore, dietary interventions with RS fiber may offer promising therapeutic strategies for preventing hypertension.