Effects of different ratios of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids on regulating body fat deposition in hamsters.
OBJECTIVE
Effects of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid consumption on regulating body fat accumulation and body weight gain are controversial between animal and human studies.


METHODS
We designed a 2 x 2 factorial study, with two levels of MUFAs (60% and 30%) and two levels of polyunsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid (P/S) ratio (5 and 3) to prepare four kinds of experimental oils consisting of 60% MUFAs with a high or low P/S ratio (HMHR or HMLR, respectively) or 30% MUFAs with a high or low P/S ratio (LMHR or LMLR, respectively). Thirty-two male golden Syrian hamsters were randomly divided into four groups and fed the experimental diets containing 15% (w/w) fat for 12 wk.


RESULTS
No difference was observed in the mean daily food intake. Hamsters fed the LMLR diet had increased weight gain, epididymal and retroperitoneal white adipose tissues, plasma non-esterified fatty acids, insulin, hepatic acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase and malic enzyme activities, and mRNA expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c among all groups (P < 0.05). Hamsters fed the HMHR diet had lower plasma insulin levels and hepatic acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase activities among groups (P < 0.05) and elevated hepatic acyl coenzyme A oxidase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I activities compared with those fed the LMLR diet (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Hamsters fed the LMLR diet had increased weight gain and body fat accumulation, whereas the HMHR diet appeared to be beneficial in preventing white adipose tissue accumulation by decreasing plasma insulin levels and increasing hepatic lipolytic enzyme activities involved in beta-oxidation.
Liao
Fang-Hsuean
FH
School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Liou
Tsan-Hon
TH
Shieh
Ming-Jer
MJ
Chien
Yi-Wen
YW
D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011897:Random Allocation; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D007328:Insulin; D047493:PPAR alpha; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1