Impact of following a healthy dietary pattern with co-consuming wolfberry on number and function of blood outgrowth endothelial cells from middle-aged and older adults

Blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOECs) have received growing attention in relation to the cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the effect of diet intervention, a primary strategy for CVD prevention on BOECs is not reported. This study aims to investigate the effect of following a healthy dietary pattern (HDP) with or without wolfberry consumption, a health food with potential cardiovascular benefits, on the number and function of BOECs in middle-aged and older adults. Twenty-four subjects were consumed either a HDP only (n = 9) or a HDP supplemented with 15 g/day wolfberry (n = 15) for 16 weeks. At pre- and post-intervention, vascular health biomarkers and composite CVD risk indicators were assessed. BOECs were derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and their angiogenic and migration activities were measured. Isolated BOECs have typical endothelial cobblestone morphology, express von Willebrand factor and KDR. Consuming a HDP improved BOEC colony’s growth rate, which demonstrated by significant time effects in colony’s culture time between passages 1 and 2 (P = 0.038). Both interventions increased BOECs’ tube formation capacity. Moreover, HDP intervention contributed to a time effect on BOEC migration activity (P = 0.040 for t1/2gap). Correlation analysis revealed that BOEC colony number was positively associated with blood pressure, atherogenic index, vascular age and Framingham risk score. In conclusion, adherence to a HDP improved BOECs’ function in middle-aged and older population while additional wolfberry consumption did not provide enhanced effect. Our results provide a mechanistic dissection of the beneficial effects on BOECs of dietary pattern modification.