title: The α-linolenic acid content of flaxseed can prevent the atherogenic effects of dietary trans fat.
abstract: Dietary intake of industrially hydrogenated trans fatty acids (TFA) has been associated with coronary heart disease. Dietary flaxseed can inhibit atherosclerosis induced by dietary cholesterol. The aim of this study was to determine whether supplementing the diet with flaxseed could protect against atherosclerosis induced by a diet enriched in TFA. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (LDLr(-/-)) mice were fed 1 of 14 experimental diets for 14 wk containing one of two fat sources [regular (pork/soy) or trans fat] at two concentrations (4 or 8%) and supplemented with or without dietary cholesterol (2%), whole ground flaxseed, or one of the components of flaxseed [α-linolenic acid (ALA), defatted fiber, or lignan]. Adding flaxseed to the diet partially mitigated the rise in circulating cholesterol levels induced by the cholesterol-enriched diet. Atherosclerosis was stimulated by TFA and/or cholesterol. Including milled flaxseed to an atherogenic diet significantly reduced atherosclerosis compared with the groups that consumed cholesterol and/or TFA. ALA was the only component within flaxseed that could inhibit the atherogenic action of cholesterol and/or TFA on its own. Dietary flaxseed protects against atherosclerotic development induced by TFA and cholesterol feeding through its content of ALA.
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, Department of Physiology, Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Chantal M C
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bassett
authors.forename: Richelle S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Edel
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patenaude
authors.forename: Renee K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: LaVallee
authors.forename: Grant N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Pierce
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000097:blood; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D019597:Flax; D017705:Lignans / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D012639:Seeds; D013997:Time Factors; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D017705:Lignans; D028321:Plant Preparations; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids; D014280:Triglycerides; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid