New Zealand blackcurrant extract modulates the heat shock response in men during exercise in hot ambient conditions

Purpose To determine if 7d of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract alters the heat shock, inflammatory and apoptotic response during prolonged exertional-heat stress. Methods Ten men (Age: 29 ± 2 years, Stature: 1.82 ± 0.02 m, Mass: 80.3 ± 2.7 kg, V̇ O 2max : 56 ± 2 mL·kg −1 ·min −1 ) ingested two capsules of CurraNZ ™ (NZBC extract: 210 mg anthocyanins·day −1 ) or PLACEBO for 7d prior to 1 h treadmill run (65% V̇ O 2max ) in hot ambient conditions (34 °C/40% RH). Blood samples were collected before (Pre), immediately after (Post), 1 h after (1-Post), and 4 h after (4-Post) exercise. Heat shock proteins (HSP90, HSP70, HSP32) were measured in plasma. HSP and protein markers of inflammatory capacity (TLR4, NF-κB) and apoptosis (BAX/BCL-2, Caspase 9) were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Results eHSP32 was elevated at baseline in NZBC(+ 31%; p