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INT – GM TOMATOES FOR HEART HEALTH
Genetically enhanced flavonoid tomatoes could reduce cardiovascular disease
18 October 2006. BASF Press Release Via AgBios
Tomatoes, genetically modified to contain a higher level of flavonoids, have in a recent study shown to substantially reduce a protein, the so-called C-reactive protein (CRP), in mice. CRP is linked to inflammatory processes in mice as well as human beings and is associated with a higher risk of heart and vascular diseases as well as type-2 diabetes.
Flavonoids are plant metabolites known for their anti-oxidant activity. To compare the effects of flavonoid-enriched and conventional tomatoes, scientist daily fed two groups of mice 12 milligrams of genetically enhanced and conventional tomato peel respectively. To a human adult, this is equivalent to a daily consumption of approximately 230 grams, or three fresh tomatoes. After seven weeks, the level of C-reactive protein was reduced considerably in both groups of mice. However, the level was significantly lower in the group of mice fed genetically modified tomato peel.
“Although the health benefits of tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables are commonly known, this is the first time that a specific fruit has demonstrated to reduce C-reactive protein and thus could help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular and heart disease,” says Dr. Dietrich Rein, BASF Plant Science’s nutritionist. He adds that 95% of the beneficial tomato flavonoids are in the peel.
The biological mechanisms by which fruits and vegetables reduce human C-reactive protein and thus exert their benefits on human health are not fully understood and are likely to be numerous. Nevertheless, Professor Dr. Uwe Sonnewald, University of Erlangen, coordinator of the study, stresses the importance of the findings: “It shows that genetic enhancement of fruits and vegetables may in the future allow an optimization of the human diet and help reduce diseases.”
The study was carried out by an interdisciplinary team with expertise in the field of plant molecular physiology, genetics, biochemistry, nutritional and analytical biology. Participating partners: TNO, Plant Research International (both Dutch applied scientific research organisations) and BASF Plant Science with support from the EU project, ProFood.
A scientific article on the subject was published in The Journal of Nutrition, September issue (“Transgenic Flavonoid Tomato Intake Reduces C-Reactive Protein in Human C-Reactive Protein Transgenic Mice More Than Wild Type Tomato”; Rein et al. Journal of Nutrition, 2006; 136: 2331-2337).
Abstract, below: http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/136/9/2331
Transgenic flavonoid tomato intake reduces c-reactive protein in human c-reactive protein transgenic mice more than wild-type tomato
American Society for Nutrition
J. Nutr. 136:2331-2337, September 2006
Dietrich Rein et al
The increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease. The molecular basis of this health effect is not fully understood, yet dietary flavonoids are thought to play an important role. Genetic engineering has enabled us to overexpress specific flavonoids (flavones and flavonols) in tomato fruit. Human C-reactive protein transgenic (CRPtg) mice express markers of cardiovascular risk that allow us to study of the putative health effects of wild-type tomato (wtTom) and flavonoid-enriched tomato (flTom). In this study, we analyzed whether consumption of wtTom, at a dose achievable with a human diet, as beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk markers and whether flTom may enhance such effects. CRPtg mice were fed a diet containing 4 g/kg wtTom, flTom peel, vehicle, or 1 g/kg fenofibrate, which reportedly reduces cardiovascular risk, for 7 wk. Markers of general health (bodyweight, food intake, and plasma alanine aminotransferase activities) and of cardiovascular risk (plasma CRP, fibrinogen, E-selectin, and cholesterol levels) were analyzed. All groups had comparable food intakes and body-weight gains. Plasma alanine aminotransferase activities increased significantly in vehicle and fenofibrate-treated mice. Compared with baseline, wtTom and flTom significantly reduced basal human CRP concentrations by 43 and 56%, respectively. The CRP-lowering effect of flTom significantly exceeded that of wtTom. The effects of flTom on CRP were reversed within a 2-wk washout period. WtTom and flTom did not affect fibrinogen, but comparably repressed E-selectin expression and upregulated HDL cholesterol. Tomato peel consumption improved ardiovascular risk factors in CRPtg mice, a beneficial effect that was further enhanced by enrichment of the flavonoid content.
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