The chronic intake of a Mediterranean diet enriched in virgin olive oil, decreases nuclear transcription factor κB activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy men

Objetive Nuclear transcription factor κB (NF-κB) plays a key role in the inflammatory response and can be modulate by dietary fat. We have examined the effect of three diets, with different fat composition, on the activation of NF-κB on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Methods Sixteen healthy men followed three 4-week diets, in a randomised crossover design: a Western diet, rich in saturated fat (SFA) [22% SFA, 12% monounsaturated fat (MUFA) and 0, 4 α-linolenic acid]; a Mediterranean diet [<10% SFA, 24% MUFA and 0.4% α-linolenic acid], and a low fat diet enriched in α-linolenic acid [<10% SFA, 12% MUFA and 2% α-linolenic acid]. NF-κB (electrophoretic mobility shift assay) in mononuclear cells and plasma concentrations (ELISA) of soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) were examined after either diets. Results Western diet increased 2.7-fold NF-κB compared with the Mediterranean diet (p = 0.038) and 1.79-fold with the α-linolenic acid diet (p = 0.07). No differences were found between the last two. Furthermore, an increase on plasma VCAM-1 was observed with the Western diet (p < 0.05). Conclusions The Mediterranean diet diminished NF-κB activation in mononuclear cells, compared with Western diet, supporting its cardioprotective properties. The effect of the n − 3 enriched diet was intermediate.