Pinto Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Lower Non-HDL Cholesterol in Hamsters Fed a Diet Rich in Saturated Fat and Act on Genes Involved in Cholesterol Homeostasis

• Published in: The Journal of nutrition 2019-06, Vol.149 (6), p.996-1003
• Main Authors: Nguyen, An Tien, Althwab, Sami, Qiu, Haowen, Zbasnik, Richard, Urrea, Carlos, Carr, Timothy P, Schlegel, Vicki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acyltransferase; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Anticholesteremic Agents - administration & dosage; Beans; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol - genetics; Coenzyme A; Cricetinae; Diet; Diet, High-Fat; Dietary Fats - administration & dosage; Fatty acids; Flavonoids; French beans; Gene Expression; hamster; Hamsters; High density lipoprotein; Hogs; Homeostasis; Hulls; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase; Intestine; Intestine, Small - metabolism; Lipid Metabolism; Liver; Liver - metabolism; Male; Mesocricetus; Metabolism; Molecular modelling; Phaseolus - chemistry; Phaseolus vulgaris; pinto bean; Pinto beans; Polyphenols; Reductases; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Saponins; saturated fat; Sterol O-acyltransferase
• ISSN: 0022-3166; 1541-6100
• DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxz044

Pinto beans contain multiple active agents such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and saponins, and have been shown to lower cholesterol, but the mechanisms involved in this effect have not been explored. This study was to investigate the changes in cholesterol metabolism in response to whole pinto beans (wPB) and their hulls (hPB) supplemented into a diet rich in saturated fat and the molecular mechanisms potentially responsible for these effects in hamsters. Forty-four 9-wk-old male Golden Syrian hamsters were randomly assigned to 4 diet groups (n = 11), including a 5% (wt:wt) fat diet [normal-fat diet (NF)], a 15% (wt:wt) fat diet [diet rich in saturated fat (HSF), saturated fatty acids accounted for 70% of total fatty acids], or HSF supplemented with 5% (wt:wt) wPB or 0.5% (wt:wt) hPB for 4 wk. Plasma, liver, intestinal, and fecal samples were collected to evaluate multiple cholesterol markers and gene targets. The plasma non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) concentration was significantly reduced in the wPB- and hPB-supplemented groups by 31.9 ± 3.5% and 53.6 ± 3.2%, respectively, compared with the HSF group (P