Moderate dietary intake of myristic and alpha-linolenic acids increases lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity in humans.

Cholesterol removal from tissues into HDL depends on the activity of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT; E.C. 2.3.1.43) that is associated with lower cardiovascular diseases risk. HDL cholesterol concentration and LCAT activity can be modulated by dietary fatty acids. Original data with substrate models have shown a positive effect of myristic acid (MA) on the esterification rate of cholesterol. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of moderate intakes of MA associated with recommended intake of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) on LCAT activity in humans. Two experimental diets were tested for 3 months each. Diet 1-MA 1.2% of total energy (TE) and ALA 0.9% TE, diet 2-MA 1.8% and ALA 0.9% TE; a control diet (MA 1.2% and ALA 0.4% TE) was given 3 months before diet 1 and diet 2. The endogenous activity of LCAT was determined at completion of each diet. Compared with the control diet (13.2 +/- 3.1 micromol CE/(L x h)), LCAT activity increased significantly (P < 0.001) with diet 1 (24.2 +/- 3.6 micromol CE/(L x h)) and diet 2 (33.3 +/- 7.4 micromol CE/(L x h)); the increase observed with diet 2 was significantly (P < 0.001) greater than that due to diet 1. These results suggest that ALA (from rapeseed oil, mainly in sn-2 position) and MA (from dairy fat, mainly in sn-2 position) favor LCAT activity, by respective increases of 83 and 38%. When they are supplied together, a complementary effect was observed (average increase of 152%). Moreover, these observations were associated with a decrease of the ratio of total to HDL-cholesterol. In conclusion, our results suggest that moderate supply of MA (1.8% TE) associated with the recommended intake of ALA (0.9% TE) contributes to improve LCAT activity.

Gender-related response of lipid metabolism to dietary fatty acids in the hamster.

Gender and dietary fatty acids are involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism, disturbances of which can lead to pathologies such as metabolic syndrome or CVD. Possible interactions between these factors were investigated in male and female hamsters fed diets rich in either saturated fatty acids ( "butter" diet) or in alpha-linolenic acid ( "linseed oil" diet). Gender effect predominated over the diet effect on cholesterol (CH) metabolism; compared to males, females exhibited lower concentrations of plasma total CH (-20 %, P<0.001), LDL-CH (-40 %, P<0.001) and HDL-CH (-16 %, P<0.001), together with higher LDL receptor (+40 %) and lower HDL receptor (-60 %) hepatic content. Triacylglycerol (TG) metabolism was affected by diet above all: compared to animals fed the "butter" diet, those fed the "linseed oil" diet exhibited lower plasma (-23 %, P=0.046) and liver TG (-20 %, P=0.026) concentration which may result from both an increased beta-oxidation (P<0.001), without any change in PPARalpha mRNA, and a decreased hepatic lipogenesis (P=0.023), without increased sterol response element binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) mRNA. The response to diet was much more pronounced in males than in females, without gender effect on the transcription level of PPARalpha and SREBP1c. Finally, the "linseed oil" diet decreased the insulin resistance index (-80 %, P<0.001) with a more marked effect in males, in relation to their higher hepatic PPARgamma expression (+90 %, P=0.012). In conclusion, in our model, the response of either TG or CH to dietary fatty acids is modulated differently by gender. The possible relevance of these interactions to dietary practice should be taken into account in man.

Dose effect of alpha-linolenic acid on PUFA conversion, bioavailability, and storage in the hamster.

If an increased consumption of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is to be promoted in parallel with that of n-3 long-chain-rich food, it is necessary to consider to what extent dietary ALA can be absorbed, transported, stored, and converted into long-chain derivatives. We investigated these processes in male hamsters, over a broad range of supply as linseed oil (0.37, 3.5, 6.9, and 14.6% energy). Linoleic acid (LA) was kept constant (8.5% energy), and the LA/ALA ratio was varied from 22.5 to 0.6. The apparent absorption of individual FA was very high (>96%), and that of ALA remained almost maximum even at the largest supply (99.5%). The capacity for ALA transport and storage had no limitation over the chosen range of dietary intake. Indeed, ALA intake was significantly correlated with ALA level not only in cholesteryl esters (from 0.3 to 9.7% of total FA) but also in plasma phospholipids and red blood cells (RBC), which makes blood components extremely reliable as biomarkers of ALA consumption. Similarly, ALA storage in adipose tissue increased from 0.85 to 14% of total FA and was highly correlated with ALA intake. As for bioconversion, dietary ALA failed to increase 22:6n-3, decreased 20:4n-6, and efficiently increased 20:5n-3 (EPA) in RBC and cardiomyocytes. EPA accumulation did not tend to plateau, in accordance with identical activities of delta5- and delta6-desaturases in all groups. Dietary supply of ALA was therefore a very efficient means of improving the 20:4n-6 to 20:5n-3 balance.