Echium oil reduces plasma lipids and hepatic lipogenic gene expression in apoB100-only LDL receptor knockout mice.
We tested the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with echium oil (EO), which is enriched in stearidonic acid (SDA; 18:4 n-3), the product of Delta-6 desaturation of 18:3 n-3, will decrease plasma triglyceride (TG) concentrations and result in conversion of SDA to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in the liver. Mildly hypertriglyceridemic mice (apoB100-only LDLrKO) were fed a basal diet containing 10% calories as palm oil (PO) and 0.2% cholesterol for 4 weeks, after which they were randomly assigned to experimental diets consisting of the basal diet plus supplementation of 10% of calories as PO, EO or fish oil (FO) for 8 weeks. The EO and FO experimental diets decreased plasma TG and VLDL lipid concentration, and hepatic TG content compared to PO, and there was a significant correlation between hepatic TG content and plasma TG concentration among diet groups. EO fed mice had plasma and liver lipid EPA enrichment that was greater than PO-fed mice but less than FO-fed mice. Down-regulation of several genes involved in hepatic TG biosynthesis was similar for mice fed EO and FO and significantly lower compared to those fed PO. In conclusion, EO may provide a botanical alternative to FO for reduction of plasma TG concentrations.
D000818:Animals; D053299:Apolipoprotein B-100 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D053299:Apolipoprotein B-100; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008055:Lipids; D010938:Plant Oils; D011973:Receptors, LDL; C062895:stearidonic acid