| Description |
Cardiovascular disease is 2-4-fold more prevalent in patients with diabetes. In diabetes, vascular inflammation and then endothelial dysfunction leads to the development of atherosclerosis. Studies have shown that the consumption of strawberry improves cardiovascular risk, but effects of strawberry on diabetic vasculature are unknown. We sought to determine whether dietary strawberry supplementation attenuates vascular inflammation and dysfunction in diabetic mice. Seven-week-old male diabetic db/db and control db/+ mice consumed standard or supplemented chow containing 2.35% freeze-dried strawberry for 10 weeks. The strawberry dose was equivalent to two human servings of strawberries (160g) per day. Measurements after 10 weeks of treatment included metabolic variables, lipid peroxidation, blood pressure, vessel function, vascular inflammation, and mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines. Diabetic mice exhibited an increased body weight, food intake, blood glucose, serum cholesterol and triglycerides, and lipid peroxidation with an impaired peripheral glucose homeostasis. Strawberry supplementation does not improve these variables in diabetic mice. Blood pressure was higher, relaxation to acetylcholine in arteries was impaired, and vascular inflammation was enhanced in diabetic versus control mice. However, strawberry supplementation reduces blood pressure, improves vascular dysfunction, and suppresses vascular inflammation in diabetic mice. Consistent with these findings, relative to results obtained from control animals, elevations of MCP-1, IL8, and VCAM-1 expression were greater in carotid artery endothelial cells from diabetic mice, but were suppressed in strawberry-treated diabetic mice. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of strawberry attenuates indices of diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction without altering metabolic variables. This study provides evidence for further considering strawberry as an adjunct therapy to improve vascular complications associated with diabetes. |
