Hepatic fat accumulation is the hallmark of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our aim was to determine the plasma levels of oxylipins, free polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and markers of lipid peroxidation in patients with NAFLD in progressive stages of the pathology. Ninety 40-60-year-old adults diagnosed with metabolic syndrome were distributed in without, mild, moderate or severe NAFLD stages. The free PUFA and oxylipin plasma levels were determined by the UHPLC-MS/MS system. The plasma levels of oxylipins produced by cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases and cytochrome P450, such as prostaglandin 2α (PGF2α), lipoxinB4 and maresin-1, were higher in severe NAFLD patients, pointing to the coexistence of both inflammation and resolution processes. The plasma levels of the saturated oxylipins 16-hydroxyl-palmitate and 3-hydroxyl-myristate were also higher in the severe NAFLD patients, suggesting a dysregulation of oxidation of fatty acids. The plasma 12-hydroxyl-estearate (12HEST) levels in severe NAFLD were higher than in the other stages, indicating that the hydroxylation of saturated fatty acid produced by reactive oxygen species is more present in this severe stage of NAFLD. The plasma levels of 12HEST and PGF2α are potential candidate biomarkers for diagnosing NAFLD vs. non-NAFLD. In conclusion, the NAFLD progression can be monitored by measuring the plasma levels of free PUFA and oxylipins characterizing the different NAFLD stages or the absence of this disease in metabolic syndrome patients.
Keywords: fatty acids; fatty liver; inflammation; metabolic syndrome; oxylipins.