Background and aims: Omentin, as an adipokine, has been reported to improve insulin resistance and inflammation may be related to fatty acids (FAs). Plasma FAs can be used as biomarkers of dietary FAs and endogenous FA exposure. We aimed to evaluate the association between plasma FAs pattern and omentin gene expression in adipose tissue (AT).
Methods and results: Visceral and subcutaneous AT and fasting blood were gathered from 97 adults aged >18 years. Participants were already admitted to hospitals for elective abdominal surgery. Dietary intakes were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. The relative omentin gene expression in visceral and subcutaneous AT was measured by Real-Time PCR and plasma FAs was determined by gas chromatography. The principal component analysis was performed to derive the FAs pattern from plasma individual FAs. Three patterns were derived from plasma FAs, 1) high de-novo lipogenesis (DNL), 2) high trans saturated fatty acids (SFA), and docosahexaenoic acid (trans-SFA/DHA), and 3) high long-chain SFA (LC-SFA). After adjustment for age, sex, and insulin concentration, only the LC-SFA pattern was associated with omentin gene expression in visceral AT (β = 2.25, P = 0.03). Other patterns were not associated with omentin gene expression in visceral and subcutaneous AT.
Conclusion: A pattern characterized by high levels of myristic acid (14:0), heptadecanoic acid (17:0), pentadecanoic acid (15:0), and Cis_heptadecanoic acid (17:1), which named LC-SFA was related to omentin gene expression in visceral AT.
Keywords: Fatty acids; Gene expression; Omentin; Plasma fatty acid pattern; Principal component analysis.
Copyright © 2020 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.