Plant stanol esters lower serum triacylglycerol concentrations via a reduced hepatic VLDL-1 production.
Plant stanol esters not only lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol but also have previously been shown to lower serum triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations, especially in subjects with elevated TAG concentrations. To find a possible explanation, we explored changes in serum lipoprotein profiles, as measured with nuclear magnetic resonance. For this, serum samples from two parallel-designed controlled studies were evaluated before and 8 weeks after the consumption of plant stanol esters. In the first study, dyslipidemic metabolic syndrome subjects participated and in the second study normolipidemic subjects. In metabolic syndrome subjects, plant stanol esters lowered concentrations of large (>60 nm) and medium (35-60 nm) VLDL particles as compared to controls. In normolipidemic subjects, the serum concentration of large VLDL-1 particles was also lowered, although less pronounced. Based on these findings, we hypothesize that the effect of plant stanol esters on serum TAG concentrations origins from a lowered hepatic production of large TAG-rich VLDL-1 particles.
Department of Human Biology, School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. j.plat@hb.unimaas.nl
Jogchum
J
Plat
Ronald P
RP
Mensink
D000328:Adult; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012015:Reference Standards; D012855:Sitosterols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D012855:Sitosterols; D014280:Triglycerides; C407042:plant stanol ester; C030106:very low density lipoprotein triglyceride