Increased triglyceride levels in the blood has for a long time been recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Why, though, has not been understood very well. This research may shed some light on the mechanism. High triglyceride levels trigger foam cell formation which recruit monocytes, a type of white blood cell, that further enhances foam cell formation. CCL4 which is known as a macrophage inflammatory protein, is expressed by macrophages in response to oxidized LDL (Wiesner P, et al. 2010). A macrophage is also a type of white blood cell. Monocytes, act as housekeepers for the vascular system (Carlin L.M., et al. 2013). They clean up cellular debris and orchestrate the phagocytosis (removal) of cells that may be a threat. Increased triglycerides in the blood results in monocytes migrating into the vascular endothelium (inner lining) and might contribute to tissue injury. This can lead to unstable plaque formation involving adhesion of platelets as well as many other factors. This sequence of events may play an important role in the increased cardiovascular disease risk observed with elevated triglyceride levels and LDL cholesterol (Saja MF, et al. 2015). What will increase your triglyceride levels? High glycemic index carbohydrates. 50 g of high glycemic index carbohydrates for 2 weeks increased triglycerides in participants with both normal glucose tolerance and in those with impaired glucose intolerance (Raatz SK, et al. 2015).

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Carlin LM1, Stamatiades EG, Auffray C, Hanna RN, Glover L, Vizcay-Barrena G, Hedrick CC, Cook HT, Diebold S, Geissmann F. Nr4a1-dependent Ly6C(low) monocytes monitor endothelial cells and orchestrate their disposal. Cell. 2013 Apr 11;153(2):362-75. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.03.010.
Raatz SK1, Johnson LK2, Picklo MJ2. Consumption of Honey, Sucrose, and High-Fructose Corn Syrup Produces Similar Metabolic Effects in Glucose-Tolerant and -Intolerant Individuals. J Nutr. 2015 Oct;145(10):2265-72. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.218016. Epub 2015 Sep 2.
Saja MF1, Baudino L1, Jackson WD2, Cook HT1, Malik TH1, Fossati-Jimack L1, Ruseva M1, Pickering MC1, Woollard KJ3, Botto M4. Triglyceride-Rich Lipoproteins Modulate the Distribution and Extravasation of Ly6C/Gr1(low) Monocytes. Cell Rep. 2015 Sep 22;12(11):1802-15. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.08.020. Epub 2015 Sep 3.
Wiesner P1, Choi SH, Almazan F, Benner C, Huang W, Diehl CJ, Gonen A, Butler S, Witztum JL, Glass CK, Miller YI. Low doses of lipopolysaccharide and minimally oxidized low-density lipoprotein cooperatively activate macrophages via nuclear factor kappa B and activator protein-1: possible mechanism for acceleration of atherosclerosis by subclinical endotoxemia. Circ Res. 2010 Jul 9;107(1):56-65. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.110.218420. Epub 2010 May 20.
  • Category: News
  • Author: Didrik Sopler
  • Published: 2020-03-28
  • Comments: 0
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