Dietary weight loss intervention improves subclinical atherosclerosis and oxidative stress markers in leukocytes of obese humans

Background The relationship between caloric restriction-mediated weight loss and the generation of ROS and its effects on atherosclerotic markers in obesity is not fully understood. Therefore, we set out to investigate whether dietary weight loss intervention improves markers of oxidative stress in leukocytes and subclinical parameters of atherosclerosis. Subjects and Methods This was an interventional study of 59 obese subjects (BMI > 35 kg/m(2)) who underwent 6 months of dietary therapy, including a 6-week very-low-calorie diet (VLCD) followed by an 18-week low-calorie diet (LCD). We determined clinical parameters, inflammatory markers-hsCRP, TNF alpha and NF kappa B -, oxidative stress parameters-total superoxide, glutathione, catalase activity and protein carbonyl groups-, soluble cellular adhesion molecules-sICAM, sPselectin, sPSGL-1 -, myeloperoxidase (MPO), leukocyte-endothelium cell interactions-rolling flux, velocity and adhesion -and LDL subfractions, before and after the dietary intervention. Results After losing weight, an improvement was observed in the patients' anthropometric, blood pressure and metabolic parameters, and was associated with reduced inflammatory response (hsCRP, TNF alpha and NF kappa B). Oxidative stress parameters improved, since superoxide production and protein carbonyl content were reduced and antioxidant systems were enhanced. In addition, a significant reduction of subclinical markers of atherosclerosis-small and dense LDL particles, MPO, sPselectin and leukocyte adhesion-and an increase in soluble PSGL-1 were reported. Conclusions Our findings reveal that the improvement of subclinical atherosclerotic markers after dietary weight loss intervention is associated with a reduction of oxidative stress in leukocytes and inflammatory pathways, suggesting that these are the underlying mechanisms responsible for the reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in obese subjects after losing weight.