Anti-Inflammatory Action of Dietary Wild Olive (Acebuche) Oil in the Retina of Hypertensive Mice

Abstract

Inflammation plays a crucial role in the course of eye diseases, including many vascular retinopathies. Although olive oil is known to have beneficial effects against inflammatory processes, there is no information available on the anti-inflammatory potential of the wild olive tree (namely, acebuche (ACE) for the primitive Spanish lineages). Here we investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of ACE oil in the retina of a mouse model of arterial hypertension, which was experimentally induced by administration of L-NAME (NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester). The animals were fed supplements of ACE oil or extra virgin olive oil (EVOO, for comparative purposes). Retinal function was assessed by electroretinography (ERG), and different inflammation-related parameters were measured in the retina and choroid. Besides significant prevention of retinal dysfunction shown in ERG recordings, ACE oil-enriched diet upregulated the expression of the anti-inflammatory markers PPARγ, PPARα and IL-10, while reducing that of major proinflammatory biomarkers, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and COX-2. This is the first report to highlight the anti-inflammatory properties of an ACE oil-enriched diet against hypertension-related retinal damage. Noteworthy, dietary supplementation with ACE oil yielded better results compared to a reference EVOO.