Polyunsaturated fatty acid pattern in liver and erythrocyte phospholipids from obese patients.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to study the fatty acid (FA) composition of liver phospholipids and its relation to that in erythrocyte membranes from patients with obese nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), as an indication of lipid metabolism alterations leading to steatosis.


METHODS
Eight control subjects who underwent antireflux surgery and 12 obese patients with NAFLD who underwent subtotal gastrectomy with a gastro-jejunal anastomosis in Roux-en-Y were studied. The oxidative stress status of patients was assessed by serum F2-isoprostanes levels (gas chromatography/negative ion chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry). Analysis of FA composition of liver and erythrocyte phospholipids was carried out by gas-liquid chromatography.


RESULTS
Patients with NAFLD showed serum F2-isoprostanes levels 84% higher than controls. Compared with controls, liver phospholipids from obese patients exhibited significantly 1) lower levels of 20:4n-6, 22:5n-3, 22:6n-3 [docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)], total long-chain polyunsaturated FA (LCPUFA), and total n-3 LCPUFA, 2) higher 22:5n-6 [docosapentaenoic acid (DPAn-6)] levels and n-6/n-3 LCPUFA ratios, and 3) comparable levels of n-6 LCPUFA. Levels of DHA and DPAn-6 in liver were positively correlated with those in erythrocytes (r = 0.77 and r = 0.90, respectively; p < 0.0001), whereas DHA and DPAn-6 showed a negative association in both tissues (r = -0.79, p < 0.0001 and r = -0.58, p < 0.01, respectively), associated with lower DHA/DPAn-6 ratios.


CONCLUSIONS
Obese patients with NAFLD showed marked alterations in the polyunsaturated fatty acid pattern of the liver. These changes are significantly correlated with those found in erythrocytes, thus suggesting that erythrocyte FA composition could be a reliable indicator of derangements in liver lipid metabolism in obese patients.
Elizondo
Alejandra
A
Department of Nutrition, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Araya
Julia
J
Rodrigo
Ramón
R
Poniachik
Jaime
J
Csendes
Attila
A
Maluenda
Fernando
F
Díaz
Juan C
JC
Signorini
Cinzia
C
Sgherri
Cristiana
C
Comporti
Mario
M
Videla
Luis A
LA
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D028441:F2-Isoprostanes / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
D028441:F2-Isoprostanes; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010743:Phospholipids