A diet rich in (n-3) fatty acids increases peroxisomal beta-oxidation activity and lowers plasma triacylglycerols without inhibiting glutathione-dependent detoxication activities in the rat liver.
By using comparisons with a safflower oil diet (15% w/w) and a control, low-fat diet, the ability of a fish oil diet (15% MaxEPA) rich in the (n-3) fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, to alter hepatic activities has been determined in adult, male rats. Compared with the safflower diet, treatment for 2 weeks with the fish oil diet caused significant increases in the ratio of liver weight/body weight and the specific activities in liver homogenates of peroxisomal enzymes fatty acyl-CoA oxidase (263%) and catalase (149%) and caused a significant lowering of plasma triacylglycerol levels. Fish oil diets rich in (n-3) fatty acids should thus be placed in the category of hypotriglyceridemic agents which stimulate peroxisomal beta-oxidation activity. In contrast to the effects seen with the other hypotriglyceridemic, peroxisomal proliferating agents such as clofibrate, hepatic glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase activities are unchanged or are increased rather than inhibited with the fish oil diet.
D042962:Acyl-CoA Oxidase; D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008830:Microbodies / Q000201:enzymology*; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D014280:Triglycerides; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D042962:Acyl-CoA Oxidase; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione