Palmitic acid in the sn-2 position of triacylglycerols acutely influences postprandial lipid metabolism.
BACKGROUND
The triacylglycerol structure of saturated fats may influence postprandial lipemia.


OBJECTIVE
We tested the hypothesis that high-fat meals rich in palmitic acid (16:0) in the sn-2 position decrease lipemia.


METHODS
Postprandial changes in plasma lipids, apolipoprotein B48, and cytokines were compared in healthy men (n = 25) and women (n = 25) by using a randomized crossover design after meals that provided 50 g fat supplied as high-oleic sunflower oil (control), palm olein (PO), interesterified palm olein (IPO), and lard containing 0.6, 9.2, 39.1, and 70.5 mol% 16:0, respectively, at sn-2.


RESULTS
The sn-2-rich meals elicited different postprandial responses in plasma concentrations of nonesterified fatty acid (meal × time, P = 0.00014), triacylglycerol (meal × time, P = 0.002), and apolipoprotein B48 (meal × time × sex, P = 0.008). Nonesterified fatty acid concentrations were lower up to 3 h after lard and IPO meals than after control or PO meals. Triacylglycerol increased less steeply after lard and IPO meals than after control and PO meals; the incremental AUCs (iAUCs) were 34% (95% CI: 7%, 124%; P < 0.05) and 26% (95% CI: 16%, 132%; P < 0.05) lower after lard than after control and PO meals, respectively. In men, the maximal increment in apolipoprotein B48 was 14% (95% CI: 3%, 25%; P < 0.05) and 16% (95% CI: 2%, 30%; P < 0.05) lower for lard and IPO, respectively, compared with control. The postprandial iAUC in triacylglycerol was 51% lower in women (P = 0.001) than in men. Plasma IL-6 increased postprandially, but IL-8, TNF-α, and E-selectin decreased after all meals.


CONCLUSIONS
Fats with a higher proportion of palmitic acid in the sn-2 position decrease postprandial lipemia in healthy subjects. This trial was registered at controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN20774126.
Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences Division, School of Medicine, King's College London, United Kingdom. tom.sanders@kcl.ac.uk
Thomas A B
TA
Sanders
Androulla
A
Filippou
Sarah E
SE
Berry
Sabine
S
Baumgartner
Ronald P
RP
Mensink
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D019540:Area Under Curve; D028023:Arecaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019308:Palmitic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019518:Postprandial Period; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D055815:Young Adult
D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D016207:Cytokines; D004041:Dietary Fats; D019040:E-Selectin; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D014280:Triglycerides; D019301:Oleic Acid; D019308:Palmitic Acid; C029310:lard