Conjugated nonadecadienoic acid (CNA) shares similar molecular mechanisms with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)

Abstract

Previously, conjugated nonadecadienoic acid (CNA) has been shown to reduce body fat dose‐dependently and it was more effective than CLA in mice. In this study, we hypothesized that the effects of dietary CNA on expression of genes involving fat and energy metabolism are similar to CLA's. Fifty female 129Sv/J retired breeders were housed in individual wire‐bottomed cages in a windowless room with a 12‐h light‐dark cycle and fed a semi‐purified powdered diet based on the AIN‐93 diet with 20% total fat. After a week adaptation period, mice were randomly assigned into control and 4 groups of treatment (0.5% of CLA, 0.01%, 0.05%, or 0.1% of CNA as weight of diet). Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPAR‐γ), acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACAC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL), glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), and uncoupling protein‐2 (UCP‐2) from white adipose tissue, and PPAR‐α from the liver were quantified by real‐time quantitative PCR. The mRNA expressions of FAS, ACAC, UCP‐2, and PPAR‐γ in the adipose tissue were decreased by CLA as well as CNA. Meanwhile HSL expression was enhanced by CNA but not by CLA. Hepatic PPAR‐α mRNA expression was increased by both CNA and CLA. Overall, the effects of 0.1% dietary CNA on expression of genes involving fat and energy metabolism were similar to that of 0.5% dietary CLA. This supports our hypothesis that dietary CNA has an effect similar to CLA on lipid metabolism at the molecular level, however, differences on lipolysis may help explain the improved efficacy of CNA on body fat reduction compared to CLA. Supported by AHA SDG and ILSI North America