1. Citrus fruits, allies for the health of our arteries

Citrus fruits are foods rich in flavanones, a category of polyphenols that have been shown by a large body of epidemiological and preclinical data to play an important role in maintaining cardiovascular health. A few years ago, a study conducted in postmenopausal women by researchers at UNH showed that flavanones were responsible for the beneficial effects of regular grapefruit juice consumption on arterial stiffness. To enrich this work, transcriptomic analysis carried out on circulating immune cells from these same volunteers showed that grapefruit flavanones are capable of regulating the expression of a variety of genes and microRNAs, identified for their role in regulating inflammation and interactions between monocytes and endothelium (adhesion, permeability, trans-endothelial migration, cytoskeleton organization) at the origin of vascular dysfunction. Correlation studies between changes in gene expression profile and effects on arterial stiffness observed in volunteers in response to the consumption of grapefruit naturally rich in flavanones have been conducted. They have shown significant correlations with the improvement of arterial stiffness for several dozen genes.

DOI : 10.3389/fnut.2022.907595

Contact : Christine MORAND