Predictive associations between serum fatty acids and lipoproteins in healthy non-obese Norwegians: implications for cardiovascular health

Chenchen Lin; Tarja Rajalahti; Svein Are Mjøs; Olav Martin Kvalheim

doi:10.1007/s11306-015-0886-4

Predictive associations between serum fatty acids and lipoproteins in healthy non-obese Norwegians: implications for cardiovascular health

Metabolomics. 2016;12(1):6. doi: 10.1007/s11306-015-0886-4. Epub 2015 Nov 9.

Authors

Chenchen Lin¹, Tarja Rajalahti², Svein Are Mjøs³, Olav Martin Kvalheim⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway ; Fjordomics, Førde Hospital Trust, Førde, Norway.
² Fjordomics, Førde Hospital Trust, Førde, Norway.
³ Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway ; Faculty of Health Studies, Sogn og Fjordane University College, Førde, Norway.

Abstract

A battery of methods for multivariate data analysis has been used to assess the associations between concentrations of fatty acids (FAs) and lipoprotein subclasses and particle size in serum for a normolipidemic population of ethnic Norwegians living in the rural Fjord region. Significant gender differences were found in the lipoprotein and FA patterns. Predictive FA patterns were revealed for lipoprotein features of importance for cardiovascular (CV) health. Thus, the subclasses of atherogenic small and very small low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles and the same subclasses of high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles were associated with a pattern of saturated FAs and mono-unsaturated C16-C18 FAs. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and the ratio of EPA to arachidonic acid (AA) had strongest associations to features that promotes CV health: (i) large average size of HDL and LDL particles, and, (ii) small average size of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles. Total concentration of HDL in both genders correlated to EPA, but docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) correlated just as strongly for women. For men, docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) showed stronger association to HDL concentration than EPA. For both genders, concentration of large LDL particles showed associations to levels of EPA, but stronger to DHA and DPA. High values of EPA/AA seem to be the strongest single biomarker for good CV health in both men and women.

Keywords: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); Human serum; Lipoprotein subclasses; Poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); Ratio of eicasapentaenoic acid (EPA) to arachidonic acid (AA); Selectivity ratio.