ABSTRACT
Decreased body fat mass and liver steatosis have been reported in mice fed diets containing the conjugated linoleic acid trans-10,cis-12-C18:2 (CLA2), but not in those fed diets containing cis-9,trans-11-C18:2 (CLA1). Because the decrease in fatty acid (FA) oxidation may cause fat accumulation, we questioned whether the effects of both CLAs on enzyme activities and mRNA expression were related to liver FA oxidation. To address this question, 7-wk-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed for 4 wk a diet supplemented with 1% CLA1, CLA2, or cis-9-C18:1 (control) esterified as triacylglycerols. In CLA2-fed mice, the proportions of CLA2 in the total FA of liver lipids were substantially lower than those of CLA1 in mice fed CLA1. The mitochondrial protein content per total liver was about 56% greater in CLA2-fed mice than in CLA1-fed mice and controls. Mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I) and carnitine-dependent palmitate oxidation activities were also significantly greater in CLA2-fed mice than in the two other groups. The amounts of malonyl-CoA per gram of liver and the sensitivity of CPT I to malonyl-CoA inhibition were greater in both groups of CLA-fed mice than in the controls. L-CPT I mRNA expression doubled in CLA2-fed mice and was 3 and 2 times greater for M-CPT I in the CLA1 and CLA2 groups, respectively, compared with controls. Peroxisomal FA oxidation-related activities and acyl-CoA oxidase mRNA expression were increased in CLA1-fed mice, and to a larger extent in CLA2-fed mice, relative to controls. These data indicate that FA oxidation capacities were increased in mice fed CLA2, but were likely depressed in vivo through malonyl-CoA inhibition.
Subject(s)
Dietary Fats, Unsaturated/administration & dosage , Fatty Acids/metabolism , Fatty Liver/etiology , Linoleic Acids, Conjugated/administration & dosage , Animals , Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase/antagonists & inhibitors , Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase/genetics , Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase/metabolism , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Esterification , Liver/chemistry , Male , Malonyl Coenzyme A/analysis , Malonyl Coenzyme A/pharmacology , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mitochondria, Liver/enzymology , Oxidation-Reduction , RNA, Messenger/analysis , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Triglycerides/metabolismABSTRACT
Rumenic acid (cis-9, trans-11-C(18:2)) represents approx. 80% of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in dairy products. CLA has been shown to exert beneficial effects on health, but little work has been devoted to the ability to oxidize CLA isomers and the role of these isomers in the modulation of beta-oxidation flux. In the present study, respiration on rumenic acid was compared with that on linoleic acid (cis-9, cis-12-C(18:2)) with the use of rat liver mitochondria. In state-3, respiration was decreased by half with rumenic acid in comparison with linoleic acid. In the uncoupled state, respiration on CLA remained 30% lower. The lower ability to oxidize CLA was investigated through characterization of the enzymic steps. Rumenic acid was 33% less activated by acyl-CoA synthase than was linoleic acid. However, after such activation, the transfer of both acyl moieties to carnitine by carnitine acyltransferase I (CAT I) was of the same order. Moreover, CAT II activity was comparable with either isomer. After prior incubation with rumenic acid, oxidation of octanoic acid by re-isolated mitochondria was unimpaired, but that of palmitoleic acid was impaired unless linoleic acid was used in the prior incubation. The slower respiration on cis-9, trans-11-C(18:2) is suggested to arise from lower carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase activity towards the acylcarnitine form, causing an upstream increase in the corresponding acyl-CoA.
