Transgenic flax overexpressing polyphenols as a potential anti-inflammatory dietary agent

The influence of chronic administration of seed cake of genetically modified flax W92/72, which overexpressed polyphenols, on diet-evoked inflammation in the liver and other physiological disturbances was examined. High-fat-diet-induced rat obesity models were administered ad libitum the experimental diets (standard, high-fat with lard, and standard and high-fat diets enriched with 30% seed cake of non-transgenic or transgenic flax) for 14 weeks. The beneficial effects of transgenic seed cake were related to carbohydrate metabolism, serum total antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation. The levels of the liver proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 were decreased in the transgenic and non-transgenic seed cake groups. Transgenic seed cake consumption elevated the anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-4 and -10. The flaxseed cake groups had improved liver ultra-structure. Diet supplementation with genetically modified flax W92/72 seed cake may contribute to solving health problems resulting from high-energy diet consumption. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.