Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Pattern in Liver and Erythrocyte Phospholipids from Obese Patients
- 1 January 2007
- Vol. 15 (1), 24-31
- https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2007.518
Abstract
Our aim was to study the fatty acid (FA) composition of liver phospholipids and its relation to that in erythrocyte membranes from patients with obese nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), as an indication of lipid metabolism alterations leading to steatosis.Eight control subjects who underwent antireflux surgery and 12 obese patients with NAFLD who underwent subtotal gastrectomy with a gastro-jejunal anastomosis in Roux-en-Y were studied. The oxidative stress status of patients was assessed by serum F2-isoprostanes levels (gas chromatography/negative ion chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry). Analysis of FA composition of liver and erythrocyte phospholipids was carried out by gas-liquid chromatography.Patients with NAFLD showed serum F2-isoprostanes levels 84% higher than controls. Compared with controls, liver phospholipids from obese patients exhibited significantly 1) lower levels of 20:4n-6, 22:5n-3, 22:6n-3 [docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)], total long-chain polyunsaturated FA (LCPUFA), and total n-3 LCPUFA, 2) higher 22:5n-6 [docosapentaenoic acid (DPAn-6)] levels and n-6/n-3 LCPUFA ratios, and 3) comparable levels of n-6 LCPUFA. Levels of DHA and DPAn-6 in liver were positively correlated with those in erythrocytes (r = 0.77 and r = 0.90, respectively; p < 0.0001), whereas DHA and DPAn-6 showed a negative association in both tissues (r = -0.79, p < 0.0001 and r = -0.58, p < 0.01, respectively), associated with lower DHA/DPAn-6 ratios.Obese patients with NAFLD showed marked alterations in the polyunsaturated fatty acid pattern of the liver. These changes are significantly correlated with those found in erythrocytes, thus suggesting that erythrocyte FA composition could be a reliable indicator of derangements in liver lipid metabolism in obese patients.Keywords
This publication has 34 references indexed in Scilit:
- A defect in the activity of Δ6 and Δ5 desaturases may be a factor predisposing to the development of insulin resistance syndromeProstaglandins, Leukotrienes & Essential Fatty Acids, 2005
- Oxidative stress and depletion of hepatic long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids may contribute to nonalcoholic fatty liver diseaseFree Radical Biology & Medicine, 2004
- Increase in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid n−6/n−3 ratio in relation to hepatic steatosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseClinical Science, 2004
- n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: a nutritional tool to prevent insulin resistance associated to type 2 diabetes and obesity?Reproduction Nutrition Development, 2004
- Oxidative stress-related parameters in the liver of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patientsClinical Science, 2004
- Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: Summary of an AASLD Single Topic ConferenceHepatology, 2003
- Adipose tissue biomarkers of fatty acid intakeThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002
- Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseThe New England Journal of Medicine, 2002
- Insulin signalling and the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolismNature, 2001
- I. Molecular mechanism for polyunsaturated fatty acid regulation of gene transcriptionAmerican Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 2001