Francisca Salas

Francisca Salas


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

8Years (2019-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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6 September 2019 in Nutrients
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Katherine RiveraKatherine Rivera
Katherine Rivera
FSFrancisca Salas
Francisca Salas
GEGuadalupe Echeverría
Guadalupe Echeverría
IUInes Urquiaga
Ines Urquiaga
SDSara Dicenta
Sara Dicenta
ARAttilio Rigotti
Attilio Rigotti
A healthy dietary pattern and high quality nutrient intake reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk. Red wine grape pomace (RWGP)—a rich natural source of dietary fiber and antioxidants—appears to be a potential functional food ingredient. The impact of a dietary supplementation with RWGP flour was evaluated in atherogenic diet-fed SR-B1 KO/ApoER61h/h mice, a model of lethal ischemic heart disease. SR-B1 KO/ApoER61h/h mice were fed with atherogenic (high fat, cholesterol, and cholic acid, HFC) diet supplemented with: (a) 20% chow (HFC-Control), (b) 20% RWGP flour (HFC-RWGP), or (c) 10% chow/10% oat fiber (HFC-Fiber); and survival time was evaluated. In addition, SR-B1 KO/ApoER61h/h mice were fed for 7 or 14 days with HFC-Control or HFC-RWGP diets and plasma lipid levels, inflammation, oxidative damage, and antioxidant activity were measured. Atherosclerosis and myocardial damage were assessed by histology and magnetic resonance imaging, respectively. Supplementation with RWGP reduced premature death, changed TNF-α and IL-10 levels, and increased plasma antioxidant activity. Moreover, decreased atheromatous aortic and brachiocephalic plaque sizes and attenuated myocardial infarction and dysfunction were also observed. These results suggest that RWGP flour intake may be used as a non-pharmacological therapeutic approach, contributing to decreased progression of atherosclerosis, reduced coronary heart disease, and improved cardiovascular outcomes.