Digestive n-6 Lipid Oxidation, a Key Trigger of Vascular Dysfunction and Atherosclerosis in the Western Diet: Protective Effects of Apple Polyphenols.

Scope: A main risk factor of atherosclerosis is a Western diet (WD) rich in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) sensitive to oxidation. Their oxidation can be initiated by heme iron of red meat leading to the formation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), a cytotoxic aldehyde. An increased 4-HNE production is implicated in endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis.