Effect of diets rich in linoleic or α-linolenic acid on phospholipid fatty acid composition and eicosanoid production in atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Atlantic salmon post-smolts were fed diets rich in linoleic acid (sunflower oil, SO), α-linolenic acid (linseed oil, LO) or long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (fish oil, FO) for a period of 12 wk. In the liver phospholipids of fish fed SO, the levels of 18∶2n−6, 20∶2n−6, 20∶3n−6 and 20∶4n−6 were significantly elevated compared to both other treatment. In choline phospholipids (CPL), ethanolamine phospholipids (EPL) and phosphatidylserine (PS) the levels of 22∶4n−6 and 22∶5n−6 were significantly elevated in fish fed SO. In liver phospholipids from fish fed LO, 18∶2n−6, 20∶2n−6 and 20∶3n−6 were significantly elevated but 20∶4n−6, 22∶4n−6 and 22∶5n−6 were similar or significantly decreased compared to fish fed FO. Liver phospholipids from fish fed LO had increased 18∶3n−3 and 20∶4n−3 compared to both other treatments while EPL and phosphatidylinositol (PI) also had increased 20∶5n−3. In fish fed LO, 22∶6n−3 was significantly reduced in CPL, PS and PI compared to fish fed FO. Broadly similar changes occurred in gill phospholipids. Production of 12-lipoxygenase metabolites in isolated gill cells stimulated with the Ca²⁺-ionophore A23187 were significantly reduced in fish fed either SO or LO compared to those fed FO. However, the ratio 12-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE)/12-hydroxy-5,8,10,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid (12-HEPE) was significantly elevated in stimulated gill cells from SO-fed fish. Although mean values of thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) were increased in fish fed SO, they were not significantly different from those of the other two treatments.     

The effect of dietary linoleic acid on the fatty acid composition of individual phospholipid and lipoxygenase products from gills and leucocytes of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Diets containing either fish oil or sunflower oil, both of which supplied the minimum required level of n−3 fatty acids, were given to Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) postsmolts for a period of 16 weeks. In fish fed sunflower oil, the phospholipids of gills showed increased 18∶2n−6 (2–13-fold), 20∶2n−6 (4.5–12-fold) and 20∶−6 (2–8-fold). In addition, phosphatidylethanolamine had increased 20∶4n−6 (1.5-fold). Changes of a similar magnitude were observed in the phospholipids of blood leucocytes except that, in addition, 20∶4n−6 was elevated in phosphatidylserine (1.7-fold) and phosphatidylinositol (1.4-fold). Both tissues showed a general decrease in phospholipid 20∶5n−3 (up to 3-fold), which caused an increase in 20∶4n−6/20∶5n−3 ratio (1.3–6-fold). The elongation and desaturation products of 20∶4n−6, 22∶4n−6 and 22∶5n−6 were not increased as a result of feeding sunflower oil. When isolated gill cells were stimulated with the calcium ionophore A23187, 12-hydroxy-8,10,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid (12-HEPE) was the major lipoxygenase product from salmon given fish oil. 12-HEPE was significantly reduced in salmon given sunflower oil. When stimulated with A23187, the lipoxygenase products derived from whole blood of fish given sunflower oil showed decreased levels of leukotriene B₅, 12-HEPE and 12-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid.     

FA composition of the oil extracted from farmed atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) viscera

The FA composition of visceral oil extracted from farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) viscera was studied. Seventeen FA were identified in the extracted visceral oil, and the major FA were 18∶1n9, 16∶0, 16∶1n7, 20∶5n3 (EPA), 14∶0, and 22∶6n3 (DHA). The percentages of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated FA in the total FA were 31.7, 36.0, and 32.2%, respectively. Compared with other fish oils, oil from farmed Atlantic salmon had much higher EPA (1.64 g/100 g) and DHA (1.47 g/100 g) contents. The FA profile of the salmon visceral oil was similar to that of the salmon fillet. Thus, the salmon visceral oil could be a replacement for the oil obtained from edible salmon fillet and used in functional foods or feeds requiring a high level of omega-3 FA. Furthermore, producing visceral oil is also beneficial to salmon fish industry by adding value back to the processing waste.     

The effect of dietary lipid on polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) undergoing parr-smolt transformation

The aim of this study was to measure the changes in lipid metabolism which occur during smoltification and seawater transfer in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Duplicate groups of Atlantic salmon parr were fed diets containing either fish oil (FO) or a blend of linseed and rapeseed oils, vegetable oil (VO), from October (week 0) to seawater transfer in May (week 26). From May to August (weeks 26–43), all fish were fed a fish oil-containing diet. Fatty acyl desaturation and elongation activity were followed in isolated hepatocytes incubated with radioactive 18:3n−3 and 18:2n−6. Metabolism of 18:3n−3 was consistently around 5-fold greater than metabolism of 18:2n−6, and total metabolism of both substrate polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was increased in fish fed both VO and FO up to seawater transfer after which desaturation activities were reduced. Desaturation activities with both 18:3n−3 and 18:2n−6 were significantly greater in fish fed VO, compared to fish fed FO, at 22 and 26 wk. Arachidonic acid (20:4n−6; AA) in liver polar lipids (PL) of fish fed VO increased consistently from weeks 0–22 but varied after seawater transfer. In fish fed FO, AA in liver PL remained constant up to week 17 before increasing at seawater transfer and leveling off thereafter. Eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n−3; EPA) in liver PL of fish fed VO decreased significantly from week 0–22 before rising at seawater transfer and increasing rapidly posttransfer. EPA in liver PL of fish fed FO showed a similar trend except EPA was always greater in the freshwater phase compared to fish fed VO. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels in liver PL of fish fed VO remained constant in the freshwater phase before increasing following seawater transfer. In fish fed FO, DHA in liver PL increased from weeks 0–17 reducing and leveling off postseawater transfer. The levels of PGF_2α and PGF_3α were measured in isolated gill cells stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187. PGF_2α production in fish fed VO increased significantly between 0–7 wk before decreasing toward seawater transfer. After transfer, PGF_2α production increased to a peak at 35 wk. PGF_2α production in fish fed FO was not significantly altered during the trial period. The changes in PGF_3α production were broadly similar to those occurring with PGF_2α, but the latter was always in excess of the former (2-to 4-fold). Plasma chloride concentrations in fish subjected to seawater challenge at 20 wk were significantly lower in fish fed VO compared to those fed FO. This study has provided new information on the changes in lipid metabolism which accompany parr-smolt transformation and suggests that diets which have a fatty acid composition more similar to that in aquatic invertebrates may be beneficial in effecting successful seawater adaptation.     

Regiospecificity profiles of storage and membrane lipids from the gill and muscle tissue of atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) grown at elevated temperature

Regiospecific and traditional analysis, of both storage and membrane lipids, was performed on gill, white muscle, and red muscle samples taken from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) to gauge the effect of elevated water temperature. The fish, fed a commercial diet, were held at an elevated water temperature of 19°C. Total n-3 PUFA, total PUFA, and n-3/n-6 and unsaturated/saturated fatty acid (UFA/SFA) ratios in the FA profile of the total lipid extract in the white muscle were fairly low compared with fish grown at 15°C. Adaptation of structural and storage lipids at elevated temperatures was shown by a significant (P<0.01) reduction in PUFA especially in the percentage of EPA (6–8%). Further adaptation was indicated by the percentages of SFA, which were significantly (P<0.05) higher in gill (56%) and white muscle (58%) polar lipid fractions and coincided with lower percentages of n-3, n-6, and total PUFA. The regiospecific profiles indicated a high affinity of DHA to the sn-2 position in both the TAG (61–68%) and polar lipid (35–60%) fractions. The combination of detailed regiospecific and lipid analyses demonstrated adaptation of cell membrane structure in Atlantic salmon grown at an elevated water temperature.     

The effect of conjugated linoleic acid on plasma lipoproteins and tissue fatty acid composition in humans

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been suggested by some animal studies to possess antiatherogenic properties. To determine, in humans, the effect of dietary CLA on blood lipids, lipoproteins, and tissue fatty acid composition, we conducted a 93-d study with 17 healthy female volunteers at the Metabolic Research Unit of the Western Human Nutrition Research Center. Throughout the study, subjects were fed a low-fat diet [30 energy percent (en%) fat, 19 en% protein, and 51 en% carbohydrate] that consisted of natural foods with the recommended dietary allowances for all known nutrients. After a 30-d stabilization period, subjects were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n=10) supplemented daily with capsules containing 3.9 g of CLA or a control group (n=7) that received an equivalent amount of sunflower oil. The CIA capsules (CLA 65%) contained four major cis/trans geometric isomers (11.4% 9 cis-,11 trans-18∶2; 10.8% 8 trans-,10 cis-18∶2; 15.3% 11 cis-,13 trans-18∶2; and 14.7% 10 trans-, 12 cis-18∶2) and their corresponding cis/cis (6.74% total) and trans/trans (5.99% total) varieties in smaller amounts. Fasting blood was drawn on study days 30 (end of the stabilization period), 60 (midpoint of the intervention period), and 93 (end of the intervention period). Adipose tissue samples were taken on days 30 and 93. CLA supplementation for 63 d did not change the levels of plasma cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides. The weight percentage of CLA in plasma increased from 0.28±0.06 to 1.09±0.31 (n=10, P<0.05) after the supplementation. The 9 cis-,11 trans-isomer was the most prominent variety followed by the 11 cis-,13 trans- and 10 trans-,12 cis-isomers in lesser amounts. CLA in adipose tissue was not influenced by the supplementation (0.79±0.18 to 0.83±0.19 wt%) (n=10) and the 9 cis-,11 trans-variety was the only isomer present. Thus, contrary to findings from some animal studies, CLA does not seem to offer health benefits, in the short term, regarding the prevention of atherosclerosis in humans. CLA supplementation for 2 mon did not alter the blood cholesterol or lipoprotein levels of healthy, normolipidemic subjects. The supplementation did increase CLA in the plasma but only 4.23% of the ingested CLA was present in the plasma at any given time. No adverse effect of CLA supplementation was detected in this study.     

Analysis of lipids extracted from salmon (Salmo salar) heads by commercial proteolytic enzymes

Fresh salmon heads were submitted to controlled proteolysis using food‐grade commercial enzymes (Alcalase®, Neutrase® and Protamex?). The release of oil under mild conditions (60°, 2 h) compared favourably with organic solvent extraction (19.8% vs. 21.5%). Lipids extracted by solvent and lipids resulting from enzymatic processes displayed a similar content of PUFA (about 35%), mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 8.4% vs. 7.7%) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 12.1% vs. 11.9%). Thin‐layer chromatography (TLC‐FID Iatroscan) showed that the polar lipid fraction accounted for 55% of total lipids (phosphatidylethanolamine, 20.7%; phosphatidylcholine, 14.8%). Salmon head phospholipids may be more effective carriers of highly unsaturated fatty acids to specific tissues than triacylglycerols, as shown by their content in EPA (10.3 and 6.9%, respectively) and DHA (33.1 and 9.1%, respectively).     

Quantitative high-resolution13C and1H nuclear magnetic resonance of ω3 fatty acids from white muscle of atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

High-resolution¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra have been obtained and used to define the ω3 (n-3) fatty acid distribution in lipid extract and white muscle from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). The¹³C spectrum of lipid extracted from muscle gives quantitative information about the individual n-3 fatty acids, 18:2n-6, 20:1/22:1 and groups of fatty acids. The quantitative data compare favorably with those obtained by gas-liquid chromatography. The¹H NMR spectrum of the lipid extract gives information about the amount of 22:6n-3 and the total content of n-3 fatty acids. The¹³C NMR technique also revealed the positional distribution (1,3- and 2-acyl) of the important 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 acids in the triacylglycerol molecules. In the quantitative¹³C NMR spectrum of white muscle, the methyl region of the acyl chains of triacylglycerols gave rise to sufficiently resolved signals to permit estimation of the total concentration of lipids and the n-3 fatty acid content. The NMR data are in good agreement with corresponding data obtained by traditional methods.     

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase I, carnitine palmitoyltransferase II, and Acyl-CoA oxidase activities in atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Salmon farmers are currently using high-energy feeds containing up to 35% fat; the fish's capability of fully utilizing these high-energy feeds has received little attention. Carnitine is an essential component in the process of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and, with the cooperation of two carnitine palmitoyltransferases (CPT-I and CPT-II) and a carnitine acylcarnitine transporter across the inner mitochondrial membrane, acts as a carrier for acyl groups into the mitochondrial matrix where β-oxidation occurs. However, no reports are available differentiating between CPT-I and CPT-II activities in fish. In order to investigate the potential for fatty acid catabolism, the activities of key enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation were determined in different tissues from farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), i.e., acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) and CPT-I and CPT-II. Malonyl-CoA was a potent inhibitor of CPT-I activity not only in red muscle but also in liver, white muscle, and heart. By expressing the enzyme activities per wet tissue, the CPT-I activity of white muscle equaled that of the red muscle, both being>> liver. CPT-II dominated in red muscle whereas the liver and white muscle activities were comparable. ACO activity was high in the liver regardless of how the data were calculated. Based on the CPT-II activity and total palmitoyl-l-carnitine oxidation in white muscle, the white muscle might have a profound role in the overall fatty acid oxidation capacity in fish.     

Effect of dietary lipids on fatty acid composition of body lipid in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Three isocaloric diets were prepared. Diet 1 (Control) contained 22% herring oil. In diets 2 and 3, a third and a half of the herring oil was replaced, respectively, by an animal fat (lard) which contained a high percentage of saturated fatty acids. Each diet was fed to duplicate groups of rainbow trout for 14 wk. The results of the feeding trial indicated that the concentration of the saturated fatty acids in trout body lipid did not increase despite the high concentration of these fatty acids in Diets 2 and 3. Fish growth, feed efficiency, mortality and the level of fatty acid deposited in fish body lipid and phospholipids are discussed. Technical Paper No. 4440, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331.     

Dietary fat and the fatty acid composition of tissue lipids

Some characteristics of the fatty acid composition of animal tissue lipids are described and the origins of tissue fatty acids are discussed briefly. The effect of dietary fat on composition of tissue lipids is discussed. Types of dietary fatty acids for which experimental work is described include polyunsaturated fatty acids, short-chain fatty acids, fatty acids with chain length greater than C₁₈,trans unsaturated fatty acids, fatty acids with conjugated double bonds, acetylenic fatty acids, branched-chain fatty acids and oxygenated fatty acids. The individuality of fatty acids is discussed in relation to their roles as components of tissue lipids.     

Digestion of the 1-O-alkyl diacylglycerol ethers of atlantic dogfish liver oils by Atlantic salmon Salmo salar

Dogfish (Squalus acanthias) liver poses a waste disposal problem in Canada because it is not utilized for any commercial purpose. The liver of Atlantic dogfish, which is often up to 20% of the weight of the fish, contains 40–70% oil. The oil contains about 30–40% 1-O-alkyl diacylglycerol ethers (DAGE) which render it unacceptable for human use, and it has also not been considered satisfactory for animal feed use. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (20∶5n−3 and 22∶6n−3) are present in dogfish liver oils at levels comparable to those in herring oil. Dogfish liver oil could be a source of essential fatty acids for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), but their ability to hydrolyze DAGE from dogfish oil has not been examined. Experiments were designed to measure the digestibility of fatty acids of DAGE in salmon. The fatty acid moieties were liberated by the digestive enzymes of the fish and made readily available as a source of energy. The 1-O-alkylglycerol ether moiety was absorbed to a small extent but should not constitute a health problem in either the fish or the human fish consumer. The long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids were particulary well absorbed, with an apparent digestibility in salmon of 87–95% when feeding on dogfish liver oil. The total fatty acids and other lipids were in fact both absorbed to the extent of approximately 85%. Presented in part at the Annual Meeting of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, Atlanta, Georgia, May 1994.     

Effects of dietary vegetable oil on atlantic salmon hepatocyte fatty acid desaturation and liver fatty acid compositions

Fatty acyl desaturase activities, involved in the conversion of the C₁₈ EFA 18∶2n−6 and 18∶3n−3 to the highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) 20∶4n−6, 20∶5n−3, and 22∶6n−3, are known to be under nutritional regulation. Specifically, the activity of the desaturation/elongation pathway is depressed when animals, including fish, are fed fish oils rich in n−3 HUFA compared to animals fed, vegetable oils rich in C₁₈ FFA. The primary aims of the present study were (i) to establish the relative importance of product inhibition (n−3 HUFA) vs. increased substrate concentration (C₁₈ EFA) and (ii) to determine whether 18∶2n−6 and 18∶3n−3 differ in their effects on the hepatic fatty acyl desaturation/elongation pathway in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Smolts were fed 10 experimental diets containing blends of two vegetable oils, linseed (IO), and rapeseed oil (RO), and fish oil (FO) in a triangular mixture design for 50 wk. Fish were sampled after 32 and 50 wk, lipid and FA composition of liver determined, fatty acyl desaturation/elongation activity estimated in hepatocytes using [1-¹⁴C]18∶3n−3 as substrate, and the data subjected to regression analyses. Dietary 18∶2n−6 was positively correlated, and n−3 HUFA negatively correlated, with lipid content of liver. Dietary 20∶5n−3 and 22∶6n−3 were positively correlated with liver FA with a slope greater than unity suggesting relative retention and deposition of these HUFA. In contrast, dietary 18∶2n−6 and 18∶3n−3 were positively correlated with liver FA with a slope of less than unity suggesting metabolism via β-oxidation and/or desaturation/elongation. Consistent with this, fatty acyl desaturation/elongation in hepatocytes was significantly increased by feeding diets containing vegetable oils. Dietary 20∶5n−3 and 22∶6n−3 levels were negatively correlated with hepatocyte fatty acyl desaturation. At 32 wk, 18∶2n−6 but not 18∶3n−3 was positively correlated with hepatocyte fatty acyl desaturation, wheres the reverse was true at 50 wk. The data indicate that both feedback inhibition through increased n−3 HUFA and decreased C₁₈ fatty acyl substrate concentration are probably important in determining the level of hepatocyte fatty acyl desaturation and that 18∶2n−6 and 18∶3n−3 may differ in their effects on this pathway.     

Studies on the fatty acid composition of crayfish lipids

The fatty acid composition of carcass and exoskeleton lipids was determined for the freshwater crayfishOrconectes rusticus. Lipid fractions were isolated by column and thin-layer chromatography. Fatty acid methyl esters and alcohol acetates were then prepared and analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Peak identities were established from retention time data for methyl esters, hydrogenated methyl esters, and saturated, monoene, diene, and polyene methyl esters separated as acetoxy-mercuri-methoxy derivatives. Minor component acids were estimated from their relative compositions in these fractions. Presented at the symposium honoring J. B. Brown, AOCS meeting in Chicago, 1964.     

The effect of dietary fat on the fatty acid composition of lipids secreted in rats' milk

During pregnancy and lactation, female rats were fed diets containing either 28% partially hydrogenated marine oil (28MO), 2% arachis oil (2AO), or no fat (FF). Milk lipid composition was examined by gas chromatographic analysis of the gastric content of 10-day-old suckling pups. An increase to 45% in the milk content of long chain monoenoic acids, 18∶1, 20∶1 and 22∶1, reflects the fatty acid composition of the marine oil. Milk fatty acids of medium chain length comprised 6%, 31% and 24% of total fatty acids in the (28MO), (2AO) and (FF) groups, respectively, suggesting that a high-fat diet (28MO) inhibits the lipid synthetic activity of mammary glands. The amount of dienoic C₁₈-acids (6%) in the group fed (28MO) containing no essential fatty acids (EFA) was similar to the amount of 18∶2 in the group receiving a low-fat, EFA-rich diet (2AO). However, only half the dienoic acid from the milk of the (28MO)-fed animals was linoleic acid, which was most likely mobilized from fat depots.     

Lipids and lipid antioxidant systems in developing eggs of salmon (Salmo salar)

Lipid class and fatty acid analyses were carried out on developing salmon eggs at four clearly defined pre-feeding stages, namely, fertilization, eyed egg stage (50 days), hatching (yolk sac fry, 98 days) and swim up fry (138 days). Measurements of components of the system considered to be involved in defense of cells against lipid peroxidation (glutathione peroxidase, EC 1.11.1.9, glutathione S-transferase, EC 2.5.1.18, reduced glutathione [GSH], α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid) were made at the same time. Levels of triacylglycerol decreased markedly during development, but there were few changes in fatty acid composition, indicating a non-selective utilization of fatty acids. Phosphatidylcholine was the dominant polar lipid (>94% by weight) in fertilized eggs. It was used preferentially during development so that in swim up fry the ratio phosphatidylcholine: phosphatidylethanolamine approached that found in fish muscle. Amounts of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid in polar lipids were significantly greater (p<0.01) in swim up fry than in fertilized eggs. Activities of the two enzymes were very low in the fertilized egg and remained low until hatching, when there was a concerted increase in their activity and in the concentration of GSH. Egg tocopherol concentrations decreased significantly during development, but whole body concentrations in swim up fry were not dissimilar from those in normal juvenile fish. Ascorbic acid, on the other hand, declined to very low levels in swim up fry; the restoration of this vitamin during first feeding seems vital to the well being of the fish.     

The effect of dietary docosahexaenoic acid on plasma lipoproteins and tissue fatty acid composition in humans

Normal, healthy male volunteers (n=6) were fed diets [high docosahexaenoic acid-DHA] containing 6 g/d of DHA for 90 d. The stabilization (low-DHA) diet contained less than 50 mg/d of DHA. A control group (n=4) remained on the low-DHA diet for the duration of the study (120 d). Blood samples were drawn on study days 30 (end of the stabilization period), 75 (midpoint of the intervention period), and 120 (end of the intervention period). Adipose tissue (AT) samples were taken on days 30 and 120. The plasma cholesterol (C), low density lipoprotein (LDL)-C and apolipoproteins (apo) [Al, B, and lipoprotein (a)] were unchanged after 90 d, but the triglycerides (TAG) were reduced from a mean value of 76.67±24.32 to 63.83±16.99 mg/dL (n=6, P<0.007 using a paired t-test) and the high density lipoprotein (HDL)-C increased from 34.83±4.38 mg/dL to 37.83±3.32 mg/dL (n=6, P<0.017 using a paired t-test). The control group showed no significant reduction in plasma TAG levels. Apo-E, however, showed a marked increase in the volunteers’ plasma after 90 d on the high-DHA diet, from 7.06±4.47 mg/dL on study day 30 to 12.01±4.96 mg/dL on study day 120 (P<0.002 using a paired t-test). The control subjects showed no significant change in the apo-E in their plasma (8.46±2.90 on day 30 vs. 8.59±2.97 on day 120). The weight percentage of plasma DHA rose from 1.83±0.22 to 8.12±0.76 after 90 d on the high-DHA diet. Although these volunteers were eating a diet free of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), plasma EPA levels rose from 0.38±0.05 to 3.39±0.52 (wt%) after consuming the high-DHA diet. The fatty acid composition of plasma lipid fractions—cholesterol esters, TAG, and phospholipid—showed marked similarity in the enrichment of DHA, about 10%, after the subjects consumed the high-DHA diet. The DHA content of these plasma lipid fractions varied from less than 1% (TAG) to 3.5% (phospholipids) at baseline, study day 30. EPA also increased in all plasma lipid fractions after the subjects consumed the high-DHA diet. There were no changes in the plasma DHA or EPA levels in the control group. Consumption of DHA also caused an increase in AT levels of DHA, from 0.10±0.02 to 0.31±0.07 (wt%) (n=6, P<0.001 using a paired t-test), but the amount of EPA in their AT did not change. Thus, dietary DHA will lower plasma TAG without EPA, and DHA is retroconverted to EPA in significant amounts. Dietary DHA appears to enhance apo-E synthesis in the liver. It appears that DHA can be a safe and perhaps beneficial supplement to human diets.     

The effect of conjugated linoleic acid on platelet function, platelet fatty acid composition, and blood coagulation in humans

Despite extensive research on conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) showing multiple beneficial effects in animal models, little is known about the role of dietary CLA in human health. To investigate if the beneficial effects of CLA seen in animal models are relevant to humans, we conducted a study with 17 healthy female volunteers who lived in the Metabolic Research Unit of the Western Human Nutrition Research Center for 93 d. This paper reports only the results from this study that are related to the effects of CLA supplementation on blood coagulation, platelet function, and platelet fatty acid composition. Throughout the study, the subjects were fed a low-fat diet (30 en% fat, 19 en% protein, and 51 en% carbohydrate) consisting of natural foods with the recommended dietary allowances for all known nutrients. After a 30-d stabilization period, subjects were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n=10) whose diet was supplemented with 3.9 g/d of CLA or a control group (n=7) who received an equivalent amount of sunflower oil consisting of 72.6% linoleic acid with no detectable CLA. Platelet aggregation was measured in platelet-rich plasma using adenosine diphosphate, collagen, and arachidonic acid agonists. No statistical difference was detected between the amount of agonist required to produce 50% aggregation of platelet-rich plasma before and after the subjects consumed the CLA, with the exception of a decrease in response to collagen. This decrease was found in both control and intervention groups with no significant difference between the groups, suggesting that both linoleic acid (sunflower oil) and CLA might have similar effects on platelet function. The prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and the antithrombin III levels in the subjects were determined. Again, there was no statistically significant difference in these three parameters when pre-and post-CLA consumption values were compared. The in vivo bleeding times were also unaffected by CLA supplementation (10.4+2.8 min pre- and 10.2+1.6 min postconsumption). Platelet fatty acid composition was not markedly influenced by the consumption of dietary CLA, although there was a small increase in the amount of the 9 cis, 11 trans-18∶2 isomer normally present in platelets after feeding CLA for 63 days. In addition, small amounts of the 8 trans, 10 cis-18∶2 and the 10 trans, 12 cis-18∶2 isomers were detected in the platelets along with traces of some of the other isomers. Thus, when compared to sunflower     

Interference of polar lipids with the alkalimetric determination of free fatty acid in fish lipids

An examination of the suitability of an alkalimetric method for the determination of free fatty acid (FFA) contents in fats, oils, and lipid extracts was conducted by comparing AOCS method Ca 5a-40 with a method based on a Chromarod-latroscan thin-layer chromatography-flame-ionization detector (TLC-FID) system. The FFA contents determined by the alkalimetric method were consistently higher than the genuine FFA contents obtained by the latroscan TLC-FID method. Phospholipids were found to be the major components that contributed to the alkali-titratable, nongenuine FFA in the total FFA determined alkalimetrically. Contributions from other polar lipid components were smaller, but they dominated as the proportion of phospholipids fell. The other alkali-titratable polar components may include oxidized lipids and their by-products bound to protein fragments. The accurate determination of FFA contents by alkalimetric methods may only be applicable to those commercially refined fats and oils that contain negligible amounts of phospholipids. Corrections for the alkalimetrically determined FFA contents should be made for those fats and oils with relatively high phospholipid contents by correlating the nongenuine FFA contents and the phospholipid contents.