Effects of trans-fatty acids on liver lipid metabolism in mice fed on diets showing different fatty acid composition.

AIM

Our aim was to investigate the effects of trans-fatty acids (TFA) on liver lipid metabolism in mice fed on experimental diets rich in either oleic or linoleic acid.

METHODS

Twenty-two male CF1 mice (22.0 ± 0.1 g) were fed with diets rich in corn oil or olive oil, supplemented or not with TFA (0.75 g TFA/100 g diet), for 4 weeks. Changes in triacylglycerol content, the activity and expression of enzymes involved in lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation were measured.

RESULTS

Supplementation of an olive oil-rich diet with TFA increased liver triacylglycerols, the activity and expression of lipogenic enzymes and sterol regulatory element-binding protein SREBP-1a expression. By contrast, when TFA were added to a corn oil-rich diet, they did not modify these parameters. No significant differences were observed among the experimental groups in the activity and expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-Ia, body and liver weights or serum triacylglycerol concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS

The effect of TFA on liver fat accumulation depends on the dietary fatty acid composition. Steatosis induced by TFA when included in an olive oil diet (but not in a corn oil diet) was associated with an increased lipogenesis but not with a decreased fatty acid oxidation in animals fed on the olive oil diet. This metabolic change is mediated by SREBP-1a but not by SREBP-1c, and seems to be independent of insulin.