Influence of n-3 fatty acid supplementation on the endogenous activities of plasma lipases

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 66; no. 2; pp. 254 - 260
• Main Authors: Harris, WS, Lu, G, Rambjør, GS, Wõlen, AI, Ontko, JA, Cheng, Q, Windsor, SL
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.08.1997; American Society for Clinical Nutrition; American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cholesterol; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - pharmacology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Lipase - blood; Lipids; Lipolysis - drug effects; Lipoprotein Lipase - blood; Liver - enzymology; Placebos; Proteins; Triglycerides - blood; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Phospholipid; Lipids; Esterases; Hyperlipoproteinemia; Lipoprotein lipase; Supplemented diet; Docosahexaenoic acid; Enzymopathy; n-3 fatty acid; Enzymatic activity; Dyslipemia; Human; Enzyme; Metabolic diseases; Edible oil; Metabolism; Triglyceride; Fish oil; Lipolysis; Feeding; Carboxylic ester hydrolases; Hypertriglyceridemia; Animal oil; Unsaturated fatty acid; Hydrolases; Eicosapentaenoic acid
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/66.2.254

The aim of these studies was to explore the possibility that enhanced triacylglycerol clearance may contribute to the hypotriacylglycerolemic effect of n-3 fatty acids in humans. Healthy subjects (n = 20) and hypertriacylglycerolemic patients (n = 6) were given a placebo (olive oil, OO) or a fish-oil concentrate (FOC; 41% eicosapentaenoic acid and 23% docosahexaenoic acid) in two, independent, randomized, blind trials. For the healthy subjects, the FOC treatment period was 3 wk long and FOC intakes were 5 g/d. For the patients, treatment periods were 4 wk long and dosages were 5 g.70 kg body wt-1.d-1. Washout periods were 2-4 wk for both groups. Blood samples were drawn at the end of each phase and analyzed for plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and endogenous (nonheparin-stimulated) activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic lipase (HL). In the healthy subjects the FOC decreased plasma triacylglycerol concentrations by 18% (P < 0.01), whereas in the patients concentrations were reduced by 35% (P < 0.05). Low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations increased by 25% in the latter group (P = 0.06). FOC increased the endogenous activities of LPL and HL by 62% and 68%, respectively (P < 0.0001), in the healthy subjects, but only LPL in the patients (65%, P < 0.005). These data suggest that endogenous lipase activities may be altered by nutritional interventions, and further, that accelerated lipolysis could contribute, at least in part, to the observed effects of n-3 fatty acids on human lipoprotein metabolism.