Effects of a Chilean Hazelnut-Supplemented Diet on Oxidative Stress and Cytokine Expression in PBMCs of Hypercholesterolemic Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
7 affiliations
- 1Centro de Vida Saludable, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile
- 2Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Talcahuano 4260000, Chile
- 3Departamento de Nutrición y Dietética, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile
- 4Grupo en Nutrición Comunitaria y Estrés Oxidativo, Universidad de las Islas Baleares, 07122 Palma, Spain
- 5Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile
- 6Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares (IdISBa), 07120 Palma, Spain
- 7CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Hypercholesterolemia is characterized by alterations in lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammatory status. Nuts have been shown to mitigate these alterations; however, limited evidence is available regarding their effects in the Chilean population using a native nut species. This study aimed to assess the impact of a six-month Chilean-adapted Mediterranean diet supplemented with Gevuina avellana Molina, compared with a low-fat regimen, on oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from adults with hypercholesterolemia. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a 6-month nutritional intervention. Of 106 hypercholesterolemic adults randomized, 81 completed the study, allocated to two groups: one following a Chilean diet supplemented with Chilean hazelnuts (n = 47) and the other a low-fat diet (n = 34) (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT07087704). Oxidative stress markers and inflammatory markers in PBMCs were assessed as secondary outcomes. In PBMCs, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GRd) were analysed, along with oxidative damage markers (malondialdehyde, carbonyls, and nitrotyrosine) and gene expression (SOD, CAT, GRd, IL-10, and TNF-α). Results: Both dietary interventions were associated with similar improvements in PBMC redox status, characterized by reduced oxidative damage and enhanced antioxidant defence capacity. Malondialdehyde and carbonyl levels decreased in both groups following the dietary intervention. In addition, antioxidant enzyme activities increased, with SOD showing a concomitant increase in gene expression level, whereas CAT gene expression decreased despite enhanced enzymatic activity. No significant differences between groups were observed for the assessed oxidative stress, antioxidant, or inflammatory markers. Conclusions: A Chilean diet supplemented with Chilean hazelnuts and a low-fat diet produced similar improvements in PBMC redox status in hypercholesterolemic adults. These findings suggest that improving dietary fat quality and increasing antioxidant-rich food intake may contribute to favourable changes in cellular redox homeostasis, although the specific contribution of Chilean hazelnuts requires further investigation.
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BibTeX
@article{gonzalezcontreras2026effects,
title = {{Effects of a Chilean Hazelnut-Supplemented Diet on Oxidative Stress and Cytokine Expression in PBMCs of Hypercholesterolemic Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial}},
author = {Carlos González-Contreras and Sofía Ramos-Pardo and Esteban A. Valdebenito and Karina Ramírez-Alarcón and Felipe A. Zuniga and Maria Magdalena Quetglas-Llabrés and Antoni Sureda and Miquel Martorell},
journal = {Nutrients},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/nu18203400},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/20/3400},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effects of a Chilean Hazelnut-Supplemented Diet on Oxidative Stress and Cytokine Expression in PBMCs of Hypercholesterolemic Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
AU - Carlos González-Contreras
AU - Sofía Ramos-Pardo
AU - Esteban A. Valdebenito
AU - Karina Ramírez-Alarcón
AU - Felipe A. Zuniga
AU - Maria Magdalena Quetglas-Llabrés
AU - Antoni Sureda
AU - Miquel Martorell
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Nutrients
DO - 10.3390/nu18203400
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/20/3400
AB - Background/Objectives: Hypercholesterolemia is characterized by alterations in lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammatory status. Nuts have been shown to mitigate these alterations; however, limited evidence is available regarding their effects in the Chilean population using a native nut species. This study aimed to assess the impact of a six-month Chilean-adapted Mediterranean diet supplemented with Gevuina avellana Molina, compared with a low-fat regimen, on oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from adults with hypercholesterolemia. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a 6-month nutritional intervention. Of 106 hypercholesterolemic adults randomized, 81 completed the study, allocated to two groups: one following a Chilean diet supplemented with Chilean hazelnuts (n = 47) and the other a low-fat diet (n = 34) (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT07087704). Oxidative stress markers and inflammatory markers in PBMCs were assessed as secondary outcomes. In PBMCs, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GRd) were analysed, along with oxidative damage markers (malondialdehyde, carbonyls, and nitrotyrosine) and gene expression (SOD, CAT, GRd, IL-10, and TNF-α). Results: Both dietary interventions were associated with similar improvements in PBMC redox status, characterized by reduced oxidative damage and enhanced antioxidant defence capacity. Malondialdehyde and carbonyl levels decreased in both groups following the dietary intervention. In addition, antioxidant enzyme activities increased, with SOD showing a concomitant increase in gene expression level, whereas CAT gene expression decreased despite enhanced enzymatic activity. No significant differences between groups were observed for the assessed oxidative stress, antioxidant, or inflammatory markers. Conclusions: A Chilean diet supplemented with Chilean hazelnuts and a low-fat diet produced similar improvements in PBMC redox status in hypercholesterolemic adults. These findings suggest that improving dietary fat quality and increasing antioxidant-rich food intake may contribute to favourable changes in cellular redox homeostasis, although the specific contribution of Chilean hazelnuts requires further investigation.
SN - 2072-6643
ER -