The coffee diterpene cafestol increases plasma triacylglycerol by increasing the production rate of large VLDL apolipoprotein B in healthy normolipidemic subjects.
BACKGROUND
Cafestol is a diterpene in unfiltered coffee that raises plasma triacylglycerol in humans.


OBJECTIVE
We studied whether cafestol increases plasma triacylglycerol by increasing the production rate or by decreasing the fractional catabolic rate of VLDL(1) [Svedberg flotation unit (S(f)) 60-400] apolipoprotein (apo) B. In addition, we studied the effect of cafestol on the composition of VLDL(1) and VLDL(2) (S(f) 20-60).


METHODS
Eight healthy normolipidemic men were administered a daily dose of 75 mg cafestol for 2 wk. A bolus injection of 7 mg L-[5,5,5-(2)H(3)]leucine/kg body wt was given after a baseline period with no cafestol and again after treatment with cafestol. We derived kinetic constants to describe the metabolism of VLDL(1) apo B by using a multicompartmental model.


RESULTS
Cafestol significantly increased plasma triacylglycerol by 31% or 0.32 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.03, 0.61); the increase was due mainly to a nonsignificant rise in VLDL(1) triacylglycerol of 57% or 0.23 mmol/L (95% CI: -0.02, 0.48). Cafestol significantly increased the mean rate of VLDL(1) apo B production by 80% or 755 mg/d (95% CI: 0.2, 5353), whereas it did not significantly change the mean fractional catabolic rate of VLDL(1) apo B (mean increase of 3 pools/d; 95% CI: -4, 10]). Cafestol did not change the composition of VLDL(1). A significant increase in the ratio of VLDL(2) cholesteryl ester to triacylglycerol indicates that VLDL(2) became enriched with cholesteryl esters at the cost of triacylglycerol.


CONCLUSIONS
Cafestol increases plasma triacylglycerol by increasing the production rate of VLDL(1) apo B, probably via increased assembly of VLDL(1) in the liver.
de Roos
B
B
Division of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.
Caslake
M J
MJ
Stalenhoef
A F
AF
Bedford
D
D
Demacker
P N
PN
Katan
M B
MB
Packard
C J
CJ
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003069:Coffee / Q000737:chemistry*; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D003069:Coffee; D004224:Diterpenes; D008055:Lipids; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D014280:Triglycerides; C053400:cafestol; D000410:Alanine Transaminase