Mohammed Moghadasian

University of Manitoba | UMN · Department of Human Nutritional Sciences

Kgengwe fruits are commonly consumed in sub-Saharan countries. Recent reports indicated low coronary artery disease rates in those regions. To investigate anti-atherogenic properties and potential mechanisms of action of Kgengwe seed powder (KSP), male low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDL-r-KO) mice were fed with an atherogenic diet suppl...

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(CVD)is a major source of morbidity and mortality globally. Accumulating evidence has suggested that diets and lifestyle significantly contribute to the risk factors for atherosclerotic vascular disease. We previously reported the significant anti-atherogenic effects in low density lipoprotein receptor knock-out...

Diabetes is now a major health issue worldwide, affecting millions of people. Diabetes negatively impacts the quality of life and productivity of subjects in both direct and indirect ways. A range of abnormalities are associated with diabetes. One of such abnormalities is alterations in lipid metabolism, resulting in the production of atherogenic l...

In this article we have summarized our observations on anti-atherogenic properties of a number of functional foods and dietary agents in apolipoprotein E-knockout and lowdensity lipoprotein receptor-knockout mouse models. Among various diets and dietary agents, our data show strong antiatherogenic properties for plant sterols, wild rice, germinated...

Background and aim: We previously reported the anti-atherogenic properties of wild rice in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDL-r-KO) mice. The present study aimed to discover the mechanism of action for such effects. Materials: Fecal and plasma samples from the wild rice treated and control mice were used. Fecal bacterial population w...

Diets and lifestyle significantly contribute to risk factors for atherosclerotic vascular disease. Diets with cholesterol-lowering and antioxidant properties have been shown to prevent atherogenesis in experimental animals. Our laboratory has reported significant antiatherogenic effects of various functional foods including wild rice, kgengwe seeds,...

Interactive relationships among metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation at skeletal muscle level play a key role in the pathogenesis of disorders related to oxidative stress. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress result in cellular energy deficiency, inflammation and cell death inducing a vicious cycle that promotes muscle w...

The graphs showed the sirtuin3 (A), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α (B), superoxide dysmutase2 (C), catalase (D) and cyclooxygenase2 (E) quantitative analyses, expressed in arbitrary units (AU), of myotubes treated with hydrogen peroxide—H2O2, control myotubes—CTR, myotubes pre-incubated with carnosinol—CNS, carnosin...

We previously reported that Saskatoon-Berry-Powder (SBP) might have beneficial effects on vascular inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum stress in experimental animals. In a pilot study, we tested various oral doses of SBP and learned that the 5% (w/w) dose seems to have the best effects. This study investigated the impact of dietary intake of SBP...

The present study investigated the effects of germinated brown rice (GBR) on atherosclerosis and underlying mechanism in low-density lipoprotein receptor-knockout (LDLr-KO) mice. The sizes of atherosclerotic lesions in aortic roots of LDLr-KO mice fed with diet supplemented with 60% GBR (weight/weight) were significantly less than that in mice fed...

Hypercholesterolemia increases and exacerbates stress signals leading also to liver damage (LD) and failure. Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) is involved in lifespan extension and it plays an essential role in hepatic lipid metabolism. However, its involvement in liver hypercholesterolemic damage is not yet completely defined. This in vivo study evaluated the role...

The present study examined the effects of wild rice on monocyte adhesion, inflammatory and fibrinolytic mediators in low-density lipoprotein receptor-knockout (LDLr-KO) mice. Male LDLr-KO mice received cholesterol (0.06%, w/w) supplemented diet with or without white rice or wild rice (60%, w/w) for 20 weeks. White rice significantly increased monoc...

Objective and design: To determine the requirement of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1-knockout (PAI-1) for monocyte adhesion in animals and cells under diabetic conditions. Methods and subjects: Monocyte adhesion assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blotting were used in analyzing samples from PAI-1-knockout (PAI-1-KO) mice or...

In hypercholesterolemic pregnancies, the maternal environment is characterized by excessive levels of atherogenic lipids that may increase cardiovascular disease risk in mothers and their offspring. We examined the influence of maternal hypercholesterolemia and phytosterol (PS) intervention on the concentration and metabolism of oxysterols, bioacti...

Accumulating evidence has suggested that intake of whole grains is a protective factor against pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. The exact mechanisms, however, are still not clearly understood. In this study, we hypothesized that adequate intake of corn fractions (aleurone, endosperm and germ) can modify lipid profiles in relation to atheros...

Dietary modifications including healthy eating constitute one of the first line strategies for prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including atherosclerosis. In this study, we assessed anti-atherogenic effects of a combination of wild rice and phytosterols in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDL-r-KO...

Both dietary oleic acid and plant sterols are known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. We have produced phytosteryl oleates through enzymatic reactions. Cardiovascular benefits of phytosteryl oleates were investigated in apolipoprotein E knockout (apo E-KO) mice over 7 weeks at an oral dose of 2% (w/w). The mice treated with phytosteryl...

The microbiota inhabiting human gastro-intestinal tract is reported to have significant impact on the health of an individual. Recent findings suggest that microbial imbalance of the gut may play a role in pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Therefore, several studies have delved on the aspect of altering gut microbiota with probiotics a...

Cholesterol plays a vital role in cell biology. Dietary cholesterol or "exogenous" cholesterol accounts for approximately one-third of pooled body cholesterol, and the remaining 70% is synthesized in the body (endogenous cholesterol). Increased dietary cholesterol intakes may result in increased serum cholesterol in some individuals, while other su...

Andrology, 2015, 3, 450–461: Mammalian spermatozoa are characterized by a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which play a crucial role in fertilization. This review focuses on analysis of sperm fatty acid profiles and the effects of omega-3, saturated and trans dietary and sperm fatty acids on sperm parameters. Two major points h...

Cholesterol-lowering properties of plant sterols were reported approximately six decades ago. However, over the past couple of decades we have learnt more about other cardiovascular benefits of regular consumption of plant sterols and/or plant stanols. In particular a series of animal studies has consistently reported that dietary plant sterols and...

The antioxidant potential of carotenoids from aleurone, germ and endosperm fractions of barley, corn and wheat has been evaluated. HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids (7-15139 μg/kg) in extracts of cereal grain fractions. The antioxidant properties using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, oxygen radical absorbance...

Although high density lipoprotein (HDL)-mediated reverse cholesterol transport is crucial to the prevention and reversal of atheroma, a recent meta-analysis makes evident that current pharmaceutical strategies for modulating HDL cholesterol levels lower cardiovascular risk only to the extent that they concurrently decrease low density lipoprotein (...

In this mini-review several commonly used animal models of atherosclerosis have been discussed. Among them, emphasis has been made on mice, rabbits, pigs and non-human primates. Although these animal models have played a significant role in our understanding of induction of atherosclerotic lesions, we still lack a reliable animal model for regressi...

Wild rice (Zizania spp.) seems to have originated in North America and then dispersed into Eastern Asia and other parts of the world. Nutritional analysis shows that wild rice is rich in minerals, vitamins, protein, starch, dietary fiber, and various antioxidant phytochemicals, while it is low in fat. Wild rice has been recognized as a whole grain...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are manifestations of the metabolic syndrome. CVD remains the number one cause of mortality in the West, while NAFLD is the most common liver disease. Growing evidence suggests that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) influence risk factors including circulating lipids and in...

Owing to their spontaneous development of atherosclerosis, apolipoprotein E knockout mice (ApoE(KO)) are one of the best studied animal models for this disease. Little is known about the utility of various omega-3 fatty acid regimens, in particular fish oils, in preventing cardiac disease in ApoE(KO) mice. The purpose of this study was to determine...

Dietary modifications including healthy eating constitute one of the first line strategies for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors including high cholesterol and atherosclerosis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the potential cardiovascular benefits of wild rice in male and female LDL-receptor-de...

A number of studies, including new data summarized here, conclude that breast feeding duration is lower in smoking mothers. Although some have suggested that this merely reflects poor health motivation in those prone to smoke, several lines of evidence support the view that chronic smoking does indeed compromise breast feeding by suppressing prolac...

Alpha-linolenic acid's (ALA) biological activity is poorly understood and primarily associated with its conversion to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Delta-6 desaturase (D6D) initiates the metabolism of linoleic acid (LA) and ALA to arachidonic acid, EPA, and DHA, respectively. In this study, D6D knock-out (D6KO) mice we...

The liver is the central metabolic organ which regulates several key aspects of lipid metabolism. The liver changes with age leading to an impaired ability to respond to hepatic insults and an increased incidence of liver disease in the elderly. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) null mice have proved to be a very popular model to study spontaneous atheroscle...

Cardiovascular disease is the predominant cause of death in diabetic patients. Fibroblasts are one of major types of cells in heart or vascular wall. Increased levels of glycated low density lipoprotein (glyLDL) were detected in diabetic patients. Previous studies in our group demonstrated that oxidized LDL increased the contents of NADPH oxidase (...

MEN is Associate Professor and STL is graduate student in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia; SH is Post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia; SG is Post-doctoral Fellow and MHM is Professo...

Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) have long been studied for their health benefits. In particular, marine n-3 PUFA such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been shown to possess cardiovascular protective qualities. However, there is conflicting evidence as to the mechanisms, effectiveness and doses requir...

Cancerogenesis is associated with cell membrane changes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether breast tissues with different degrees of cancer involvement have different fatty acid profiles. Fourteen breast cancer patients with a mean age of 61 years were recruited. Morphological features of the tumoral specimens were characterized. Appr...

Phytosterols have attracted much attention in recent years due to their health benefits, such as cholesterol lowering, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenicity, and anti-cancer potential. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been demonstrated to possess cardioprotective and immune-enhancing effects. Esterification of phytosterols with DHA may render improv...

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have diverse biological effects, from promoting inflammation to preventing cancer and heart disease. Growing evidence suggests that individual PUFA may have independent effects in health and disease. The individual roles of the two essential PUFA, linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA), have been difficult...

4708 Background Systemic inflammation is well appreciated to play a role in the pathogenesis of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). Recent studies have focused on homeostatic mechanisms that counteract inflammation and heal damaged tissues. These include the generation of lipoxins, resolvins, and protectins, eicosanoid molecules collectively...

Inflammation is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Dietary plant sterols are known to reduce plasma cholesterol levels and thereby reduce cardiovascular risk. Recent observations from animal and human studies have demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects of phytosterols. For example, several animal and human studies report reductions in...

The present study demonstrated that oxidized LDL (oLDL) increased the generation of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), the abundances of NADPH oxidase (NOX)4, NOX2, p22-phox and lectin-like oLDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) in wild-type or heat shock factor-1 (HSF1)-deficient mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF). LOX-1 antibody inhibited LDL or oLDL-indu...

It is well-known that nephrotic syndrome and chronic renal failure are associated with lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities. For a long time, it has been thought that hyperlipidemia is a secondary and insignificant condition of these renal injuries. Recently, it has been shown that dyslipidaemia may contribute to the development and progression of c...

Elevated total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels are considered major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Oat β-glucan, a soluble dietary fiber that is found in the endosperm cell walls of oats, has generated considerable interest due to its cholesterol-lowering properties. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA...

Elevated total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels are considered major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Oat b-glucan, a soluble dietary fiber that is found in the endosperm cell walls of oats, has generated considerable interest due to its cholesterol-lowering properties. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA...

A high-lipid diet (HLD) may lead to adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling and endothelial dysfunction in conditions of hemodynamic stress. Although congenital absence of nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) leads to adverse LV remodeling after transverse aortic constriction (TAC), the effects of a HLD in this state remains unknown. Wild-type (WT) and...

Epidemiological studies have suggested that intake of whole grains is inversely associated with coronary artery disease. The mechanisms, however, are not completely clear. We tested the hypothesis that intake of wheat bran or corn bran would (1) increase the plasma concentration of phenolic antioxidants and (2) reduce atherosclerosis in apo E-knock...

Attention to the role of n-3 long-chain fatty acids in human health and disease has been continuously increased during recent decades. Many clinical and epidemiologic studies have shown positive roles for n-3 fatty acids in infant development; cancer; cardiovascular diseases; and more recently, in various mental illnesses, including depression, att...

To establish underlying molecular mechanisms of pro-atherogenic effects of probucol in apo E-KO mice. Affymetrix Gene Chip System, GenMAPP/MAPPFinder software and real-time PCR techniques were used to identify alterations in gene expression and biological pathways in the liver and aorta of both male apo E-KO and male wild-type mice treated with or...

Cardiovascular benefits of dietary n-3 fatty acids have been shown. However, benefits of n-3 fatty acids as part of a high fat, low n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratio diet has not been fully characterized. Aim of this study is to investigate cardiovascular and metabolic benefits of 'designer oils' containing a low ratio of n-6:n-3 fatty acids in C57BL/6 mice...

Hydroxycinnamates including p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, and their esterified/etherified conjugates such as chlorogenic acids are abundant in cereals, coffee, fruit and vegetables. Studies have shown their potential in the prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. The impact of these die...

We investigated the effects of a high-fructose (HF) diet on cardiovascular risks in Sprague-Dawley rats. Twelve rats were randomly assigned to standard chow or HF diet for 20 weeks. Systolic blood pressure and circulating insulin, total cholesterol, and triacylglycerol levels were significantly higher in the HF group. Aortic sections appeared norma...

Chronic rejection is a risk factor for the development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) in heart transplant recipients. A useful animal model to study the role of immunosuppressive strategies in the prevention of chronic rejection involves heterotopic abdominal cardiac transplantation in rats. The detection of rejection and concurrent CAV tr...

An increase in plasma n-3 fatty acid content, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3; EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3; DHA), is observed after consumption of fish oil-enriched supplements. Because alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3; ALA) is the direct precursor of EPA and DHA, ALA-enriched supplements such as flax may have a similar effect,...

Dietary phytosterols significantly reduce plasma cholesterol concentrations and atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-knockout (apo E-KO) mice. We investigated the long-term effects of phytosterol treatment on gene expression in the liver of these mice. Male apo E-KO mice were fed an atherogenic diet supplemented with (n=6) or without (n=6) 2% (wt/wt...

Ferulic acid (FA) is an abundant dietary antioxidant which may offer beneficial effects against cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. The impact of FA on health depends on its intake and pharmacokinetic properties. In this article, the literature pertaining to chemistry, natural sources, dietary intake and pharmacokineti...

Carcinoid tumor is the most common tumor of appendix with overall good prognosis. Endometriosis is the implantation of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus. We here report the coexistence of carcinoid tumor of appendix and ileal endometriosis in a 37-year-old nulliparous woman who came to the emergency room with right lower abdominal pa...

Evidence for the effectiveness of the enrichment of food products with n-3 fatty acids by inclusion of either plant- or fish-derived materials in the diets of chickens, turkeys, ostriches, cows, pigs, and goats has been reviewed. Both linseed oil/meal and fish products can increase the levels of total n-3 fatty acids in animal products, including m...

The aim of the present study was to: 1) describe the patterns of fruit and vegetable (f&v) intake in Canadian elderly and 2) identify socio-demographic factors that were associated with the low consumption. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey cycle 2.1 (2003), Public Use File, were used. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 11.5...

Health benefits from low n-6:n-3 fatty acid (FA) ratio on cardiovascular risk have been shown. However, the impact of the source of n-3 FAs has not been fully investigated. Our purpose was to investigate cardiovascular benefits of oils with a low ratio of n-6:n-3 FAs, but different sources of n-3 FAs in C57BL/6 mice. Twenty-one mice were divided in...

Both fish and flaxseed oils are major sources of different n-3 fatty acids. Beneficial effects of fish oil on posttransplantation complications have been reported. The current study aimed to compare the effects of flaxseed and fish oils in a rat cardiac allograft model. Male Fischer and Lewis rats were used as donors and recipients, respectively, t...

A 16-year-old male adolescent diagnosed to have the Williams-Beuren syndrome was referred to our obesity outpatient clinic, due to his morbid obesity (body mass index 39.2 kilograms per square metre) and gluttony. After several unsuccessful dietary treatments, we started therapy with sibutramine. As growth hormone (GH) deficiency was diagnosed by a...

Dietary flaxseed has been shown to have potent antiatherogenic effects in rabbits. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antiatherogenic capacity of flaxseed in an animal model that more closely represents the human atherosclerotic condition, the LDL receptor-deficient mouse (LDLrKO), and to identify the cellular mechanisms for th...

Poor dietary habits may increase risk for obesity and chronic diseases among Canadian adolescents. The aims of the present study were to: (a) establish the patterns of fruit and vegetable intake by Canadian adolescents, and (b) identify the impact of sociodemographic factors-including age, household income, household education, ethnicity, living ar...

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and the antihypertensive drug, telmisartan, have both been shown to modify cardiovascular risks. The effects of a combination of these two agents have, however, not been investigated. This 20 week study sought to assess the therapeutic potential of a CLA/telmisartan co-administration in rats fed a high-fructos...

To establish health-related reasons behind Canadian food choices, and how variables such as education, income, gender, ethnicity and age may affect food selection. Approximately 98 733 Canadians responded to the 12 questions regarding food choices in the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) cycle 2.1, conducted by the Canadian Government in 2003...

Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown a significant positive correlation between elevated plasma levels of cholesterol and triacylglycerol (TG) and the incidence of coronary artery disease. Several dietary and pharmacologic agents have been used to improve plasma lipoprotein profile and reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases. Some cl...