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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #206061
Title: Paradoxical effect of omega-3 fatty acids on plasma lipoprotein profile in the Golden Syrian hamster

Author
item LECKER, JAIME - HNRCA AT TUFTS
item MATTHAN, NIRUPA - HNRCA AT TUFTS
item Lichtenstein, Alice

Submitted to: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/8/2006
Publication Date: 4/28/2007
Citation: Lecker, J.L., Matthan, N.R., Lichtenstein, A.H. 2007. Paradoxical effect of omega-3 fatty acids on plasma lipoprotein profile in the Golden Syrian hamster. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference. 21: 541.8.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective was to determine the effect of dietary omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and cholesterol (C) loading or C depletion on plasma lipids and mRNA levels of genes associated with C metabolism. Hamsters were fed high safflower (SO) or fish (FO) oil diets (10% w/w) for 12 weeks, with 0.01% (-C) or 0.1% (+C) C. Whole body C was depleted in the -C group with 0.15% (w/w) lovastatin and 2% (w/w) cholestryamine 10 days prior to euthanasia. Plasma lipids were measured enzymatically and relative hepatic mRNA levels by real time PCR. Hamsters fed FO+C and SO+C diets had non-HDL-C of 804 and 149 mg/dL, HDL-C of 55 and 137 mg/dL, and TG of 1369 and 369 mg/dL, respectively (all P<0.001). These differences were associated with 1.7, 1.5 and 1.4-fold lower LDL-receptor, SREBP-1 and SRB1 mRNA levels, respectively, in FO+C compared to SO+C fed hamsters (all P<0.05). In contrast, hamsters fed FO-C and SO-C diets had non-HDL-C of 15 and 30 mg/dL, HDL-C of 25 and 85 mg/dL, and TG of 61 and 104 mg/dL, respectively (all P<0.001). These differences were associated with 3-fold lower HMG-CoA reductase mRNA levels in FO-C relative to SO-C fed hamsters (P<0.001). These data suggest whole body cholesterol status modulates the effect of dietary FO compared to SO on hamster plasma lipids and this is due, in part, to differences in mRNA levels of genes regulating cholesterol homeostasis. Research was supported by the USDA, #58-1950-4-401. Lovastatin was donated by Merck & Co., Inc.