Although the beneficial role of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) in the Mediterranean diet is well-known, its effects on health cannot be attributed solely to oleic acid. In addition to minor components, the presence of other fatty acids (FA), which depend largely on the cultivar among other factors, needs to be considered. The present study examined the effect of chylomicron remnant-like particles (CRLP) enriched in fatty acids of EVOO from 'Chetoui', 'Buidiego', 'Galega', 'Blanqueta', and 'Picual' cultivars on the foam cell formation by THP-1 macrophages. THP-1 cells were incubated with EVOO-CRLP for 24 h. Lipid accumulation in cells was measured by determining intracellular total triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration and FA composition. Intracellular TAG concentrations were higher in cells incubated with 'Chetoui' and 'Blanqueta' CRLP (0.33 ± 0.05 and 0.38 ± 0.07 μmol/mg of protein, respectively) than with 'Buidiego' and 'Picual' CRLP (0.20 ± 0.05 and 0.24 ± 0.06 μmol/mg of protein, respectively). In conclusion, linoleic acid-rich EVOO induced higher TAG incorporation into THP-1 macrophages compared to oleic acid-rich EVOO, the 18:1/18:2 ratio being consistently correlated with intracellular TAG accumulation. The results of this study demonstrated that the differences in EVOO-FA composition may have an important role in foam cell formation.
Keywords: extra virgin olive oil; fatty acids; foam cells; lipid; macrophages.