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BMC Medicine
Published in: BMC Medicine 1/2021

01-12-2021 | Nitrate | Research article

High intake of vegetables is linked to lower white blood cell profile and the effect is mediated by the gut microbiome

Authors: Cristina Menni, Panayiotis Louca, Sarah E. Berry, Amrita Vijay, Stuart Astbury, Emily R. Leeming, Rachel Gibson, Francesco Asnicar, Gianmarco Piccinno, Jonathan Wolf, Richard Davies, Massimo Mangino, Nicola Segata, Tim D. Spector, Ana M. Valdes

Published in: BMC Medicine | Issue 1/2021

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Abstract

Background

Chronic inflammation, which can be modulated by diet, is linked to high white blood cell counts and correlates with higher cardiometabolic risk and risk of more severe infections, as in the case of COVID-19.

Methods

Here, we assessed the association between white blood cell profile (lymphocytes, basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils, monocytes and total white blood cells) as markers of chronic inflammation, habitual diet and gut microbiome composition (determined by sequencing of the 16S RNA) in 986 healthy individuals from the PREDICT-1 nutritional intervention study. We then investigated whether the gut microbiome mediates part of the benefits of vegetable intake on lymphocyte counts.

Results

Higher levels of white blood cells, lymphocytes and basophils were all significantly correlated with lower habitual intake of vegetables, with vegetable intake explaining between 3.59 and 6.58% of variation in white blood cells after adjusting for covariates and multiple testing using false discovery rate (q < 0.1). No such association was seen with fruit intake. A mediation analysis found that 20.00% of the effect of vegetable intake on lymphocyte counts was mediated by one bacterial genus, Collinsella, known to increase with the intake of processed foods and previously associated with fatty liver disease. We further correlated white blood cells to other inflammatory markers including IL6 and GlycA, fasting and post-prandial glucose levels and found a significant relationship between inflammation and diet.

Conclusion

A habitual diet high in vegetables, but not fruits, is linked to a lower inflammatory profile for white blood cells, and a fifth of the effect is mediated by the genus Collinsella.

Trial registration

The ClinicalTrials.gov registration identifier is NCT03479866.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
High intake of vegetables is linked to lower white blood cell profile and the effect is mediated by the gut microbiome
Authors
Cristina Menni
Panayiotis Louca
Sarah E. Berry
Amrita Vijay
Stuart Astbury
Emily R. Leeming
Rachel Gibson
Francesco Asnicar
Gianmarco Piccinno
Jonathan Wolf
Richard Davies
Massimo Mangino
Nicola Segata
Tim D. Spector
Ana M. Valdes
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Nitrate
Published in
BMC Medicine / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1741-7015
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-021-01913-w

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