A diet high in α-linolenic acid and monounsaturated fatty acids attenuates hepatic steatosis and alters hepatic phospholipid fatty acid profile in diet-induced obese rats

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of the plant-based n-3 fatty acid, α-linolenic acid (ALA), a dietary precursor of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), for modulating hepatic steatosis. Rats were fed high fat (55% energy) diets containing high oleic canola oil, canola oil, a canola/flax oil blend (C/F, 3:1), safflower oil, soybean oil, or lard. After 12 weeks, C/F and weight-matched (WM) groups had 20% less liver lipid. Body mass, liver weight, glucose and lipid metabolism, inflammation and molecular markers of fatty acid oxidation, synthesis, desaturation and elongation did not account for this effect. The C/F group had the highest total n-3 and EPA in hepatic phospholipids (PL), as well as one of the highest DHA and lowest arachidonic acid (n-6) concentrations. In conclusion, the C/F diet with the highest content of the plant-based n-3 ALA attenuated hepatic steatosis and altered the hepatic PL fatty acid profile.

Keywords: (ACC1); (ACOX1); (ALA); (ALT); (AST); (DHA); (DIO); (EPA); (HOMA-IR); (MCP-1); (MUFA); (NAFLD); (PL); (PPAR-α); (PUFA); (SFA); (SREBP-1c); (TAG); Diet-induced obese rats; Hepatic steatosis; MUFA; acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1; acetyl-CoA oxidase 1; alanine aminotransferase; aspartate aminotransferase; diet-induced obese; docosahexaenoic acid; eicosapentaenoic acid; homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance; monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; monounsaturated fatty acids; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; n−3 fatty acids; peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α; phospholipids; polyunsaturated fatty acids; saturated fatty acids; sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c; triacylglycerols; α-linolenic acid.