Postprandial leukocyte increase in healthy subjects

• Published in: Metabolism, clinical and experimental Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 199 - 202
• Main Authors: van Oostrom, A.J.H.H.M., Sijmonsma, T.P., Rabelink, T.J., van Asbeck, B.S., Cabezas, M.Castro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-02-2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cell Division - drug effects; Cell Division - physiology; Dietary Fats - pharmacology; Humans; Leukocyte Count; Male; Medical sciences; Neutrophils - cytology; Postprandial Period - physiology; Reference Values; Human; Water; Healthy subject; Leukocyte; Pathogenesis; Postprandial; Meal; Oral administration; Biological marker; Cardiovascular disease; Male; Vascular disease; Response; Randomization; Lipemia; Hypertriglyceridemia; Cohort study; Atherosclerosis; Fat; Adult; Inflammatory cell; Neutrophil
• ISSN: 0026-0495; 1532-8600
• DOI: 10.1053/meta.2003.50037

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disorder involving leukocytes and lipids. To study the relationship between leukocytes and lipids in vivo, leukocyte changes were determined in 14 healthy males (age, 23 ± 3 years; body mass index [BMI], 21.9 ± 1.5 kg/m2) after an 8-hour oral fat load (50 g/m2) and after water. The postprandial triglyceride (TG) increment after fat was paralleled by a leukocyte increment, due to an increase in neutrophils in the first 2 hours (142% ± 69% higher than baseline, P =.04). Neutrophil counts did not return to baseline at the end of the test. Water ingestion did not induce significant neutrophil changes. Blood lymphocytes increased gradually in both tests (142% ± 30% higher than baseline, P <.001 after fat, and 128% ± 36%, P =.02 after water). The total leukocyte increment after fat ingestion was related to the postprandial TG increase (Spearman's r = 0.73, P =.003). An early postprandial, lipid-specific, neutrophil increment is a new characteristic of the postprandial phase. Future studies will elucidate the role of postprandial leukocyte changes in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.