THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS STUDY IS TO IDENTIFY WHETHER DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF STRAWBERRIES PREVENTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS IN METABOLIC SYNDROME (METS). CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE SUCH AS ATHEROSCLEROSIS IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES. METS IS ANIMPORTANT RISK FACTOR FOR CARDIOVASCULAR MORTALITY, AND VASCULAR INFLAMMATION PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF VASCULARDISEASE IN METS. ATHEROSCLEROSIS IS A CONDITION IN WHICH PLAQUE BUILDS UP INSIDE THE BLOOD VESSEL, LEADING TO HARDENING ANDNARROWING OF BLOOD VESSELS. CHOLESTEROL, FATTY SUBSTANCES, AND CELLULAR WASTE PRODUCTS FORM THE HARD PLAQUE INSIDE THE BLOODVESSEL. AS ATHEROSCLEROSIS PROGRESSES, THE PLAQUE SIZE CAN INCREASE AND BLOCK THE BLOOD FLOW THROUGH BLOOD VESSELS IN THE HEART,BRAIN, LEGS, ARMS OR KIDNEYS. AS A RESULT, THE RISK FOR HEART ATTACK, STROKE, AND OTHER KINDS OF HEALTH PROBLEMS INCREASES.METABOLIC SYNDROME CAUSES THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS. DUETO THE CURRENT EPIDEMIC OF METABOLICSYNDROME, THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO DEVELOP NEW STRATEGIES TO REDUCE HEART DISEASE IN METABOLIC SYNDROME. OUR RESEARCH ISAIMED TO IDENTIFY NEW AND COST EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES, SUCH AS DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAN REDUCE VESSEL COMPLICATIONS AND PROMOTE OVERALL HEART AND BLOOD VESSEL HEALTH.ANTHOCYANINS ARE ONE OF THE MOST ABUNDANT PLANT COMPOUNDS AND ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE IN BLUEBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES, AND RASPBERRIES. STUDIES SUPPORT THE IMPORTANCE OF BERRIES IN THE REGULAR DIET. EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT EATING 2-3 SERVINGS OFSTRAWBERRIES PER WEEK LOWERS THE RISK OF TYPE 2 DIABETES AND REDUCES THE RISK OF HEART ATTACKS. THE GOOD BACTERIA IN THE GUT HELPS TO METABOLIZE THE BERRY ANTHOCYANINS INDICATING IT MAY PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN MEDIATINGTHE VASCULAR BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF BERRY FRUITS. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA SHOW THATEATING STRAWBERRIES REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE AND HELPS VESSELS REMAIN HEALTHY IN MICE THAT HAVE DIABETES. IN ADDITION, DIETARY STRAWBERRIESINCREASED THE GOODGUT BACTERIA IN DIABETIC MICE. HOWEVER, STUDIES ARE LACKING THAT INVESTIGATE (I) THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE BENEFICIAL VASCULAR EFFECTS OF STRAWBERRIES, (II) THE ROLE OF GUT BACTERIA IN MEDIATING THESE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS, AND (III)ACTIVE COMPONENTS INVOLVED.THE PROPOSED STUDY WILL IDENTIFY THE ROLE OF GUT BACTERIA IN MEDIATING THE VASCULAR BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF STRAWBERRIES AND THE ACTIVE COMPONENTS INVOLVED IN THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF STRAWBERRY. THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON HUMAN HEALTH BECAUSE THE RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO LOWER-COST, YET EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE DEATH AND ILLNESS DUE TO HEART AND VESSEL COMPLICATIONS IN PEOPLE WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME.