Faculty, Staff and Student Publications
Publication Date
1-1-2023
Journal
The Journal of Nutrition
Abstract
Background: Molecular mechanisms underlying the benefits of healthy dietary patterns are poorly understood. Identifying protein biomarkers of dietary patterns can contribute to characterizing biological pathways influenced by food intake.
Objectives: This study aimed to identify protein biomarkers associated with four indexes of healthy dietary patterns: Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015); Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010); DASH diet; and alternate Mediterranean Diet (aMED).
Methods: Analyses were conducted on 10,490 Black and White men and women aged 49-73 y from the ARIC study at visit 3 (1993-1995). Dietary intake data were collected using a food frequency questionnaire, and plasma proteins were quantified using an aptamer-based proteomics assay. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association between 4955 proteins and dietary patterns. We performed pathway overrepresentation analysis for diet-related proteins. An independent study population from the Framingham Heart Study was used for replication analyses.
Results: In the multivariable-adjusted models, 282 out of 4955 proteins (5.7%) were significantly associated with at least one dietary pattern (HEI-2015: 137; AHEI-2010: 72; DASH: 254; aMED: 35; P value < 0.05/4955 = 1.01 × 10-5). There were 148 proteins that were associated with only one dietary pattern (HEI-2015: 22; AHEI-2010: 5; DASH: 121; aMED: 0), and 20 proteins were associated with all four dietary patterns. Five unique biological pathways were significantly enriched by diet-related proteins. Seven out of 20 proteins associated with all dietary patterns in the ARIC study were available for replication analyses, and 6 out of these 7 proteins were consistent in direction and significantly associated with at least 1 dietary pattern in the Framingham Heart Study (HEI-2015: 2; AHEI-2010: 4; DASH: 6; aMED: 4; P value < 0.05/7 = 7.14 × 10-3).
Conclusions: A large-scale proteomic analysis identified plasma protein biomarkers that are representative of healthy dietary patterns among middle-aged and older US adult population. These protein biomarkers may be useful objective indicators of healthy dietary patterns.
Keywords
Male, Adult, Middle Aged, Humans, Female, Aged, Proteomics, Diet, Longitudinal Studies, Diet, Mediterranean, Biomarkers, Blood Proteins, Atherosclerosis
DOI
10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.11.008
PMID
36913470
PMCID
PMC10196586
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
12-21-2022
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Published Open-Access
yes
Included in
Cardiology Commons, Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons