Dietary conjugated linoleic acid reduces plasma lipoproteins and early aortic atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic hamsters.
Conjugated linoleic acid is a collective term used to designate a mixture of positional and geometric isomers of linoleic acid in which the double bonds are conjugated. Unlike linoleic acid, there is a paucity of information regarding the effect of dietary conjugated linoleic acid on plasma lipoproteins and aortic atherosclerosis. Therefore, fifty hamsters were divided into five groups of ten and fed 0 (Control), 0.06 (LOW), 0.11 (MEDIUM), and 1.1 (HIGH) en% conjugated linoleic acid or 1.1 en% linoleic acid. Blood samples were taken at 4, 8 and 11 weeks for plasma lipid analyses and for plasma tocopherol assay at sacrifice. Animals fed the conjugated linoleic acid-containing diets collectively had significantly reduced levels of plasma total cholesterol, non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol, (combined very low and low density lipoprotein) and triglycerides with no effect on high density lipoprotein cholesterol, as compared to CONTROLs. Linoleic acid-fed animals relative to CONTROLs also had reduced plasma total cholesterol, non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, but only the latter was statistically significant. Compared to the CONTROL group, plasma tocopherol/total cholesterol ratios determined from plasma pools for the LOW, MEDIUM and HIGH conjugated linoleic acid and linoleic acid groups were increased by 48%, 48%, 86% and 29%, respectively, suggesting a tocopherol-sparing effect, at least for the conjugated linoleic acid treatment. Morphometric analysis of aortas revealed less early atherosclerosis in the conjugated linoleic acid and linoleic acid-fed hamsters compared to the CONTROL group.
Nicolosi
R J
RJ
University of Massachusetts Lowell, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lowell, MA 01854, USA.
Rogers
E J
EJ
Kritchevsky
D
D
Scimeca
J A
JA
Huth
P J
PJ
D000818:Animals; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006224:Cricetinae; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000178:diet therapy*; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014810:Vitamin E; D019787:Linoleic Acid