Background The purpose of this study is to verify if replacing margarine by sardine oil attenuates lipid peroxidation and improves reverse cholesterol transport in obese rats. Methods Obesity was induced by feeding a high-fat-diet during 3 months. At 400 ± 10 g the obese rats (n = 24) were divided into 2 groups and consumed during 1 month (d30) 20% margarine or sardine oil. At d30, 6 rats from each group were sacrificed and the remaining rats were then subjected to a change in diet for 1 month (d60): margarine was replaced by sardine oil and inversely. Results The substitution of sardine oil by margarine enhanced cholesterol -very low density lipoprotein (C-VLDL) (+21%) and C-low density lipoprotein (LDL-HDL1) (+17%) and decreased C-high density lipoprotein (HDL2 and HDL3) subfractions by 38% and 15%, respectively. Indeed, lipid peroxidation was enhanced in LDL-HDL1 (+26%) and HDL2 and HDL3 (+41%). When margarine was replaced by sardine oil, C-VLDL, C-LDL-HDL1, C-HDL2 concentrations were deceased by –58, –81 and –35%, respectively and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity was significantly higher (+74%). Indeed, HDL2 and HDL3 lipid peroxidation was decreased respectively by 28% and 14%. Conclusions In obese rats, the replacement of sardine oil by margarine seems to increase atherogenic markers and lipoperoxidation and consequently seemed to enhance cardiovascular diseases. However, the substitution of margarine by sardine oil can reduce lipid peroxidation and improves reverse cholesterol transport by increasing the activity of LCAT and thus ensuring a fortification in HDL2 cholesteryl esters. Sardine oil compared to margarine may have a protective effect against cardiovascular risk by improving the anti-atherogenic metabolic pathway of cholesterol.
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