Oil-fed Group Research Articles

Dietary Medium-Chain Fatty Acids Raise and (n-3) Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Lower Hepatic Triacylglycerol Synthesis in Rats

The hypothesis tested was that dietary medium-chain or (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, when compared with (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids, alter plasma triacylglycerol levels by affecting hepatic triacylglycerol synthesis as reflected by the activities of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase and diacylglycerol acyltransferase in liver. In two separate experiments rats were fed purified diets containing (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids in the form of corn oil and either (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids in the form of fish oil or medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT). Consumption of MCT significantly raised plasma triacylglycerol concentrations, whereas fish oil feeding had a lowering effect compared with the corn oil-fed group. In individual rats, the hepatic triacylglycerol concentration was directly correlated with the plasma triacylglycerol concentration (r = 0.60, P < 0.001). The MCT oil diet vs. the corn oil diet markedly raised the activities of hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase and diacylglycerol acyltransferase. In the rats fed fish oil, the activities of fatty acid synthase and diacylglycerol acyltransferase were significantly reduced, whereas the activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase was not affected relative to activities in rats fed corn oil. The activities of the three enzymes were directly correlated with plasma triacylglycerol concentrations in individual rats (r = 0.60–0.75, P < 0.001). The type of fat in the diet probably affects the rate of hepatic triacylglycerol synthesis which is an important determinant of plasma triacylglycerol concentrations.

Differential Fatty Acid Accretion in Heart, Liver and Adipose Tissues of Rats Fed Beef Tallow, Fish Oil, Olive Oil and Safflower Oils at Three Levels of Energy Intake

To examine interactive effects of dietary fatty acid composition and energy restriction on tissue fatty acid accretion, mature rats consumed diets containing beef tallow, fish oil, olive oil or safflower oil with free access or at 85% or 68% of free access energy intakes. Restriction was accomplished by adjustment of dietary carbohydrate level. After 10 wk, animals were killed, and the fatty acid compositions of liver, heart and adipose tissues were examined. Compared with animals given free access to diets, body weight gains were reduced at wk 10 in fish oil- and olive oil-fed groups consuming 85% (P < 0.01) and in all groups consuming 68% (P < 0.005) of free access energy intake. Liver and heart weights were also lower (P < 0.05) in all groups restricted to 68% of free access energy intake. The type of dietary fat and the level of energy restriction influenced fatty acid composition in all three tissues at wk 10. In liver tissue, graded energy restriction increased (P < 0.02) proportions of stearic acid and decreased (P < 0.03) those of palmitic acid. In heart tissue, palmitic acid levels decreased (P < 0.01) with energy restriction. In adipose tissue, significant energy restriction-related changes in fatty acid composition varied with type of fat consumed. These results emphasize the importance of whole-body energy balance in addition to dietary fatty acid supply in utilization of dietary fatty acids for tissue deposition vs. oxidation.

Dietary Fish Oil Does Not Alter Glucose Tolerance in Conscious Rats

We examined the effect of dietary fish oil (MaxEPA) and sunflower seed oil on glucose tolerance in male Wistar rats. Semipurified diets containing 100 g oil/kg diet were administered for 30 d. The fish oil diet contained 26 g (n-3) fatty acids, 16 g eicosapentaenoic acid and 10.4 g docosahexaenoic acid/kg diet. Phospholipids from liver, pancreas, and pancreatic islets were enriched in eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids by the fish oil diet. In unfed pentobarbital-anesthetized rats, both basal plasma insulin concentration and insulin responses to intravenous glucose were significantly lower for fish oil-fed rats although glucose responses were similar; however, incremental excursions in plasma insulin over the basal concentrations did not differ. Intravenous glucose tolerance was also examined in conscious unfed rats under minimal restraint. Responses of plasma glucose and insulin were similar for fish oil- and sunflower oil-fed groups. Furthermore, in another experiment, intravenous glucose tolerance tests were similar for conscious rats provided with either 100 g fish oil or corn oil/kg nonpurified diet. Thus, glucose-induced insulin secretion is lower in rats fed fish oil than in rats fed sunflower oil, when tests are conducted in pentobarbital-anesthetized animals but not when tests are performed in conscious rats; there was no effect on plasma glucose in either anesthetized or nonanesthetized rats. Therefore, substitution of (n-3) for (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids in tissue phospholipids does not alter plasma glucose or insulin in conscious male Wistar rats.

Reduced Digestibility of Beef Tallow and Cocoa Butter Affects Bile Acid Excretion and Reduces Hepatic Esterified Cholesterol in Rats

We investigated stearic acid (18:0) digestibility and how it affects bile acid excretion in male Sprague-Dawley rats fed diets containing (g 18:0/100 g fatty acids): pork lard (13); beef tallow (19); cocoa butter (35); corn oil (2) or corn oil plus cholestyramine for 25 d. Apparent lipid digestibility was reduced with increased dietary intake of 18:0 as follows: lard (90%), beef tallow (82%), cocoa butter (78%), cholestyramine (87%), and corn oil (94%); P < 0.001, pooled SD = 2. Hepatic concentrations of total and esterified cholesterol were significantly less in cocoa butter-, beef tallow- and cholestyramine-fed groups compared with lard- and corn oil-fed groups. Fecal bile acid excretion was significantly greater in rats fed cocoa butter or cholestyramine compared with those fed corn oil. The half-life of intraperitoneally administered 14C-cholic acid was significantly longer in rats fed cocoa butter (1.36 ± 0.02 d) compared with cholestyramine (0.98 ± 0.03 d) and intermediate in those fed corn oil, lard or beef tallow (1.11–1.21 ± 0.05 d). Fecal excretion of muricholic acids (bile acids) correlated strongly with dietary intake of 18:0 (r2 = 0.98, P < 0.01), whereas excretion of bile acids derived from cholic and chenodeoxycholic acids was similar among groups. In summary, the lower digestibility of cocoa butter is associated with increased fecal bile acid excretion, reduced hepatic concentration of esterified cholesterol, decreased fractional turnover of 14C-cholic acid and increased excretion of muricholic acids in rats. The mechanism by which stearate-rich dietary fats alter bile acid and cholesterol metabolism is, however, uncertain.

The effects of ghee administration in comparison to sunflower seeds oil on liver tissue and some biochemical parameters in rats

Ghee is well known clarified butter of animal origin (namely derived from sheep milk), it has been used for decades in Iraq for preparing deserts, but nowadays, its nutritional value has been reviewed and is an area of controversy because of its high content of saturated fatty acids; however, the sunflower seeds oil available in the market may not be of that good quality. Comparing the effect of ghee to the effect of sunflower seeds oil may help better understand this controversy, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of using animal ghee and sunflower seed oil on the liver's histopathology and related to various biochemical alterations in rats. We used 36 animals divided into three groups to accomplish this goal. The first group, which received a typical conventional diet, was regarded as a control group. The second group was given a diet that included 5% animal ghee. And the final group had a diet that included 5% sunflower oil. Blood samples were taken at intervals of 0, 2, and 4 consecutive weeks. There are an increase in the weights of animals in the sunflower oil-fed group with an increase in cholesterol and liver function enzymes ALT and AST in the blood compared with the group treated with ghee, which showed no change in animal weights and low cholesterol with decreased liver function enzymes The histopathological changes of the rat's liver revealed mild to moderate lesions in the Ghee fed group representing by vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes and focal infiltration of inflammatory cells after four weeks of treatment. In the Sunflower seeds oil-fed group, the liver revealed more severe lesions than the rat treated in the ghee group, as severe vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of hepatocytes with fatty change, generalized congestion of blood vessels, infiltration of inflammatory cells in the portal area and hyperplasia of bile canaliculi. According to the study, animal ghee has advantages over sunflower seed oil regarding hepatic histological changes and concomitant biochemical changes in rats.

Effects of Dietary Cold-Pressed Seed Oils on Growth, Coloration and Blood Parameters in Goldfish

This research was conducted to examine the effects of dietary cold-pressed seed oils on growth, coloration and blood parameters in goldfish. A total of one-month-old 240 goldfish were used as the study material. The standard feed enriched with 5 different cold-pressed seed oils (fig, apricot, pomegranate, grape and plum) at a rate of 5% was given to the trial groups, while the control group was fed with the standard feed throughout the experiment. Groups were compared in terms of live weight, total length, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion rate (FCR), glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride values. Results showed that dietary seed oils improved the growth performance, feed utilization, coloration and decreased the blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Seed oil-fed groups gained more weight compared to the control group (P

Protective effect of fish oil targeting hadhaa (3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, alpha subunit a and hadhb (3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, beta subunit) against high cholesterol diet (HCD) induced atherosclerosis on Zebrafish

Currently a high mortality rate is observed due to heart diseases such as atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction, which are mainly caused due to high cholesterol. More novel drugs are needed to replace the currently available drugs to reduce the side effects. Zebrafish are an effective model for lipid metabolism studies in vertebrates. Because it shares 80% of diseases related genes similarity with humans. Zebrafish (Male) were fed with high cholesterol diet to induce atherosclerosis and the cholesterol levels of the Zebrafish are measured. Further, the m RNA expression of hadhaa and hadhb genes in the liver, intestine, and skeletal muscle of Zebrafish are studied. Finally, the atherosclerotic protective effects of fish oil are studied using fluorescence imaging of EGPF Zebrafish larvae and using nail red staining. In this study, we evaluated the effect of a fish oil-rich diet, dietary lipids reported having anti-obesity effects in animals, or cholesterol build-up in Zebrafish. Zebrafish were fed a high cholesterol diet containing 20% (w/w) fish oil. Zebrafish in the fish oil-fed group has 40% less cholesterol build-up than in the regular diet group. The genes encoding beta oxidases such as hadhaa and hadhb are expressed 2 fold higher in the gut of the fish oil treated group. Thiolase/enoyl coenzyme A-hydrates were 20% higher in the test (fish oil) diet group than in the normal diet (pellets) group (p < 0.05). The expression of the fatty acid synthesis gene (fasn) in the liver was considerably reduced in the fish oil group compared to the normal diet group (p < 0.05). These results show that fish oil may reduce cholesterol accumulation and might be used as an effective tool for anti-atherosclerotic drug development and on functional foods with further research. • In this research article we have discussed the possible effect of fish oil over HCD fed Zebrafish. • We have observed a positive effect on fish oil fed Zebrafish. • We suggest that the fish oil may have ability to reduce cholesterol accumulation and blood cholesterol level reduction. • All fishes subjected to the study are male Zebrafish.

Role of oregano and Citrus species-based essential oil preparation for the control of coccidiosis in broiler chickens

BackgroundDue to presence of drug-resistant Eimeria strains and raised public health safety concerns about drug residues in the meat, there is renewed interest in the search for natural alternatives to the coccidiosis control agents. This study was conducted to test the anticoccidial efficacy of oregano and Citrus spp.-based essential oils for broilers.MethodsA total of 280 7-day-old broiler chicks were fed a control diet or diets with salinomycin or essential oils for up to 35 d of age. On d 14, half of the control groups and the treated groups were orally challenged with a coccidiosis vaccine at 25 times higher than the recommended vaccine dose. Control diet-fed chickens that were gavaged with phosphate-buffered saline were considered non-challenged control group.ResultsEimeria challenge or dietary additives failed to affect growth performance during the 7 to 20 d growth period although essential oil-fed chickens exhibited the lowest body wight gain (P = 0.332) and the highest feed conversion ratio (P = 0.062). Oocysts in the litter were detected in the challenged control diet group and the challenged/essential oil-fed groups at 21 and 35 d, respectively. Superoxide dismutase activity in the serum was elevated (P = 0.059) in the salinomycin-fed chickens compared to the challenged controls. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein was decreased by 28.7% in the salinomycin-fed chickens but increased by 38.1% in the essential oil group compared with the challenged control group. Challenged control group exhibited a significantly higher cooking loss of the thigh meat, compared to the non-challenged control diet group, which was marginally mitigated by dietary supplementation with essential oils. Chickens fed essential oil-added diet had the highest branched-chain fatty acids contents in the cecum.ConclusionsIn conclusion, this study shows that oregano and Citrus-based essential oil preparation did not affect growth performance in broiler chickens challenged with the coccidiosis vaccine nor did Eimeria-specific duodenal lesion. However, dietary essential oil preparation lowered oocysts present in litter materials and altered branched-chain fatty acids in cecal digesta. Beneficial findings of the essential oil preparation on volatile fatty acids and oocysts output may warrant further research into assessing its effectiveness and its efficacy in pathogenic field-isolate Eimeria spp.-induced coccidiosis disease model.

Remedial role of exercise training to deep-fried oil-induced metabolic and histological changes in Wistar rats.

Exercise training is a well-known lifestyle to maintain good health. The present study was conducted to explore the effect of regular exercise training (for 15min) on biochemical, physiological, and histological changes in fried oil intake (5g/kg body weight, for 5weeks) with or without raw oil supplementation. Liver disease and heart muscle injury were accounted for by significant (p<.05) increase in liver and heart biomarker enzymes in serum. Creatinine and urea level were also significantly increased in the fried oil-fed group as a sign of kidney injury. But all the biological markers including triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was decreased significantly (p<.05) in the exercise-trained rat group. These metabolic changes were substantiated by the histological study of respective organs. Therefore, people should avoid repeatedly deep-fried oil consumption rather than fresh ones though regular exercise training has been found to resolve these metabolic abnormalities. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Exercise training is a common practice to reduce the onset of some metabolic abnormalities for example cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and also prevents various cell and tissue damages. Repeated frying of vegetable oil not only reduces its nutritional value but also produce free fatty acids and other toxic compounds. The present study revealed that repeatedly heated vegetable oil consumption causes injuries in the heart, liver, kidney, and small intestine by the oxidative products. As a result, the level of biomarkers of these responsive organs was found to be elevated. But regular exercise training ameliorated these detrimental effects. So, in terms of public health concern, regular exercise is one of the best ways to keep the body fit especially those who are consuming deep-fried oil.

New observations on the effect of camellia oil on fatty liver disease in rats.

Camellia oil has become an important plant oil in China in recent years, but its effects on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have not been documented. In this study, the effects of camellia oil, soybean oil, and olive oil on NAFLD were evaluated by analyzing the fatty acid profiles of the plant oils, the serum lipids and lipoproteins of rats fed different oils, and by cytological and ultrastructural observation of the rats' hepatocytes. Analysis of fatty acid profiles showed that the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) n-6/n-3 ratio was 33.33 in camellia oil, 12.50 in olive oil, and 7.69 in soybean oil. Analyses of serum lipids and lipoproteins of rats showed that the levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in a camellia oil-fed group (COFG) were lower than those in an olive oil-fed group (OOFG) and higher than those in a soybean oil-fed group (SOFG). However, only the difference in total cholesterol between the COFG and SOFG was statistically significant. Cytological observation showed that the degree of lipid droplet (LD) accumulation in the hepatocytes in the COFG was lower than that in the OOFG, but higher than that in the SOFG. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that the size and number of the LDs in the hepatocytes of rats fed each of the three types of oil were related to the degree of damage to organelles, including the positions of nuclei and the integrity of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. The results revealed that the effect of camellia oil on NAFLD in rats was greater than that of soybean oil, but less than that of olive oil. Although the overall trend was that among the three oil diets, those with a lower n-6/n-3 ratio were associated with a lower risk of NAFLD, and the effect of camellia oil on NAFLD was not entirely related to the n-6/n-3 ratio and may have involved other factors. This provides new insights into the effect of oil diets on NAFLD.

Effect of raw and repeatedly fried mustard oil intake on metabolic and organ histological changes in Wistar rat.

Fried dietary oils often cause adverse health effects due to altered chemical and nutritional properties. In the present study with mustard oil, the effect of repeated frying (180°C for 10min, three times) on chemical characteristics and oral intake of raw and fried mustard oil (5g/kg for 5weeks) in Wistar rats were investigated. Repeated frying caused oxidation reactions and free fatty acid content in mustard oil. This fried oil feeding to rats increased serum LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and decreased HDL leading to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease accounted by significant increment of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP) compared with raw oil-fed group. Higher level of serum CK-MB and creatinine in fried oil-fed rats indicate disrupted kidney function. Histological findings of the respective organs ascertained metabolic abnormalities due to fried oil intake. Thus, the study suggests avoidance of using repeatedly fried oils in food products for better consumer health. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Vegetable oil is a common ingredient of food products. Mustard oil is used in many countries both as raw and fried forms for various food preparations. When it is being fried at elevated temperatures in the presence of air, both thermal and oxidative decomposition take place which alter the nutritional and functional bioactive properties of the oil. The findings of the current study revealed the repeatedly fried mustard oil-induced detrimental effects on various organs of Wistar rats. Human beings consuming repeatedly fried mustard oil regularly might also face these acute problems. Thus in context to the public health issue, it is a message to avoid in taking repeated fried oils at household cooking or food industry to maintain better health.

Effect of α-linolenic acid-rich diacylglycerol oil on protein kinase C activation in the rat digestive tract and lingual mucosa

1,2-Diacylglycerol with short chain fatty acids is an endogenous activator of protein kinase C (PKC), which involved in multiple cellular processes implicated in cancer. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of dietary α-linolenic acid-rich diacylglycerol (ALA-DAG) oil on PKC activation in the rat digestive tract and lingual mucosa in comparison with the effects of α-linolenic acid-rich triacylglycerol (ALA-TAG) oil, and common dietary oil. Membranous PKC activity in the lingual mucosa of male Wistar rats was significantly activated by treatment of the tongue with 1,2-tetradecarnoylphorbol-13-acetate (100 μM) twice in 1 day. In contrast, animals consuming a diet containing either ALA-DAG oil (7.5% or 30%), ALA-TAG oil (7.5% or 30%), or rapeseed oil (30%) for 4 weeks exhibited no significant differences in the cytosolic and membrane PKC activity in the lingual, esophageal, gastric, small intestinal, and colonic mucosa. Dose-related increases in PKC activity were not observed in the ALA-DAG oil-fed groups. Thus, the effects of dietary ALA-DAG oil on PKC activation in the digestive tract and lingual mucosa was similar to those of the ALA-TAG and rapeseed oils. These findings suggest that replacement of common dietary oil with ALA-DAG oil would not increase the risk of carcinogenesis.

Deep fried edible oils disturb hepatic redox equilibrium and heightens lipotoxicity and hepatosteatosis in male Wistar rats.

Hepatosteatosis is a complex disorder, in which insulin resistance and associated dyslipidemic and inflammatory conditions are fundamental. Dietary habit, especially regular consumption of fat and sugar-rich diet, is an important risk factor. Coconut and mustard oils (CO and MO) are medium-chain saturated and monounsaturated fats that are common dietary ingredients among the Indian populations. Present study analyzed the effect of prolonged consumption of the fresh and thermally oxidized forms of these oils on glucose tolerance and hepatosteatosis in male Wistar rats. Thermally oxidized CO (TCO) and MO (TMO) possessed higher amount of lipid peroxidation products and elevated p-anisidine values than their fresh forms. Dietary administration of TCO and TMO along with fructose altered glucose tolerance and increased hyperglycemia in rats. Dyslipidemia was evident by elevated levels of triglycerides and reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) levels in fructose and edible oil-fed group ( p < 0.05). Additionally, hepatic antioxidant status was diminished and oxidative stress markers were elevated in TCO- and TMO-fed rats. Substantiating these, hike in liver function marker enzyme activities were also observed in these animals. Supporting this, histological analysis revealed higher incidence of microvesicles and hepatocellular ballooning. Results thus suggest that consumption of thermally oxidized fats may cause hepatic damage.

Original Research: Effect of various dietary fats on fatty acid profile in duck liver: Efficient conversion of short-chain to long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids, especially long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, have been associated with potential health benefits for chronic disease prevention. Our previous studies found that dietary omega-3 fatty acids could accumulate in the meat and eggs in a duck model. This study was to reveal the effects of various dietary fats on fatty acid profile and conversion of omega-3 fatty acids in duck liver. Female Shan Partridge Ducks were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments, each consisting of 6 replicates of 30 birds. The experimental diets substituted the basal diet by 2% of flaxseed oil, rapeseed oil, beef tallow, or fish oil, respectively. In addition, a dose response study was further conducted for flaxseed and fish oil diets at 0.5%, 1%, and 2%, respectively. At the end of the five-week treatment, fatty acids were extracted from the liver samples and analyzed by GC-FID. As expected, the total omega-3 fatty acids and the ratio of total omega-3/omega-6 significantly increased in both flaxseed and fish oil groups when compared with the control diet. No significant change of total saturated fatty acids or omega-3 fatty acids was found in both rapeseed and beef tallow groups. The dose response study further indicated that 59-81% of the short-chain omega-3 ALA in flaxseed oil-fed group was efficiently converted to long-chain DHA in the duck liver, whereas 1% of dietary flaxseed oil could produce an equivalent level of DHA as 0.5% of dietary fish oil. The more omega-3 fatty acids, the less omega-6 fatty acids in the duck liver. Taken together, this study showed the fatty acid profiling in the duck liver after various dietary fat consumption, provided insight into a dose response change of omega-3 fatty acids, indicated an efficient conversion of short- to long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, and suggested alternative long-chain omega-3 fatty acid-enriched duck products for human health benefits.

Fish oil prevents excessive accumulation of subcutaneous fat caused by an adverse effect of pioglitazone treatment and positively changes adipocytes in KK mice.

Pioglitazone, a thiazolidinedione (TZD), is widely used as an insulin sensitizer in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, body weight gain is frequently observed in TZD-treated patients. Fish oil improves lipid metabolism dysfunction and obesity. In this study, we demonstrated suppression of body weight gain in response to pioglitazone administration by combination therapy of pioglitazone and fish oil in type 2 diabetic KK mice. Male KK mice were fed experimental diets for 8 weeks. In safflower oil (SO), safflower oil/low-dose pioglitazone (S/PL), and safflower oil/high-dose pioglitazone (S/PH) diets, 20% of calories were provided by safflower oil containing 0%, 0.006%, or 0.012% (wt/wt) pioglitazone, respectively. In fish oil (FO), fish oil/low-dose pioglitazone (F/PL), and fish oil/high-dose pioglitazone (F/PH) diets, 20% of calories were provided by a mixture of fish oil and safflower oil. Increased body weight and subcutaneous fat mass were observed in the S/PL and S/PH groups; however, diets containing fish oil were found to ameliorate these changes. Hepatic mRNA levels of lipogenic enzymes were significantly decreased in fish oil-fed groups. These findings demonstrate that the combination of pioglitazone and fish oil decreases subcutaneous fat accumulation, ameliorating pioglitazone-induced body weight gain, through fish oil-mediated inhibition of hepatic de novo lipogenesis.

Adipokine Production in Mice Fed High‐fat Diets Containing Different Types of Dietary Fats

The present study compared high‐fat diets containing different types of dietary fats with various levels of linoleic acid (18:2n6, LA) and α‐linolenic acid (18:3n3, ALA) on adipokine production in male C57BL/6 mice. Three‐week old mice were fed AIN93G diet (15% of energy from corn oil, control) or a high‐fat diet with 45% of energy from corn oil (ALA deficient, high LA), soybean oil (ALA adequate, high LA), high‐oleic sunflower oil (ALA adequate, low LA), flaxseed oil (ALA adequate, LA adequate) or fish oil (high ALA, eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n‐3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n‐3, DHA), low LA) for 11 weeks. High‐fat diets, regardless of types of oils, increased body weight (P &lt; 0.05) and body fat mass (P &lt; 0.05) compared to the AIN93G‐fed controls; there were no significant differences in body weight and body fat among the high‐fat fed groups. High‐fat fed mice consumed less food than the controls (P &lt; 0.05), however, there was no significant difference in caloric intake among all of the groups. High‐fat diets, with the exception of the fish oil diet, elevated plasma levels of insulin compared to the controls (P &lt; 0.05) with no difference in plasma insulin between the control and the fish oil groups. Plasma concentrations of adiponectin were significantly elevated in the fish oil‐fed group compared to the control group (P &lt; 0.05) or each of the other high‐fat fed groups (P &lt; 0.05). We conclude that consumption of fish oil may affect adipokine profile in mice in a favorable manner compared to other types of dietary fats.

Curcuma oil attenuates accelerated atherosclerosis and macrophage foam-cell formation by modulating genes involved in plaque stability, lipid homeostasis and inflammation.

In the present study, the anti-atherosclerotic effect and the underlying mechanism of curcuma oil (C. oil), a lipophilic fraction from turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), was evaluated in a hamster model of accelerated atherosclerosis and in THP-1 macrophages. Male golden Syrian hamsters were subjected to partial carotid ligation (PCL) or FeCl3-induced arterial oxidative injury (Ox-injury) after 1 week of treatment with a high-cholesterol (HC) diet or HC diet plus C. oil (100 and 300 mg/kg, orally). Hamsters fed with the HC diet were analysed at 1, 3 and 5 weeks following carotid injury. The HC diet plus C. oil-fed group was analysed at 5 weeks. In hyperlipidaemic hamsters with PCL or Ox-injury, C. oil (300 mg/kg) reduced elevated plasma and aortic lipid levels, arterial macrophage accumulation, and stenosis when compared with those subjected to arterial injury alone. Similarly, elevated mRNA transcripts of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, cluster of differentiation 45 (CD45), TNF-α, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-1β and IL-6 were reduced in atherosclerotic arteries, while those of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and IL-10 were increased after the C. oil treatment (300 mg/kg). The treatment with C. oil prevented HC diet- and oxidised LDL (OxLDL)-induced lipid accumulation, decreased the mRNA expression of CD68 and CD36, and increased the mRNA expression of PPARα, LXRα, ABCA1 and ABCG1 in both hyperlipidaemic hamster-derived peritoneal and THP-1 macrophages. The administration of C. oil suppressed the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IFN-γ and increased the expression of TGF-β in peritoneal macrophages. In THP-1 macrophages, C. oil supplementation prevented OxLDL-induced production of TNF-α and IL-1β and increased the levels of TGF-β. The present study shows that C. oil attenuates arterial injury-induced accelerated atherosclerosis, inflammation and macrophage foam-cell formation.

Analysis of the Transcriptome of Blowfly Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) Larvae in Responses to Different Edible Oils

Background Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius), a prevalent necrophagous blowfly that is easily mass reared, is noted for being a mechanical vector of pathogenic microorganisms, a pollinator of numerous crops, and a resource insect in forensic investigation in the postmortem interval. In the present study, in order to comprehensively understand the physiological and biochemical functions of C. megacephala, we performed RNA-sequencing and digital gene expression (DGE) profiling using Solexa/Illumina sequencing technology.Methodology/Principal FindingsA total of 39,098,662 clean reads were assembled into 27,588 unigenes with a mean length of 768 nt. All unigenes were searched against the Nt database, Nr database, Swiss-Prot, Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) with the BLASTn or BLASTx algorithm (E-value<0.00001) for annotations. In total, 7,081 unigenes and 14,099 unigenes were functionally classified into 25 COG categories and 240 KEGG pathways, respectively. Furthermore, 20,216 unigenes were grouped into 48 sub-categories belonging to 3 main Gene Ontology (GO) categories (ontologies). Using the transcriptome data as references, we analyzed the differential gene expressions between a soybean oil-fed group (SOF) and a lard oil-fed group (LOF), compared to the negative control group (NC), using the DGE approach. We finally obtained 1,566 differentially expressed genes in SOF/NC, and 1,099 genes in LOF/NC. For further analysis, GO and KEGG functional enrichment were performed on all differentially expressed genes, and a group of differentially expressed candidate genes related to lipometabolism were identified.Conclusions/SignificanceThis study provides a global survey of C. megacephala and provides the basis for further research on the functional genomics of this insect.

Effect of dietary fat type on anxiety-like and depression-like behavior in mice

Dietary fat plays an important role in higher brain functions. We aimed to assess the short and long term intake of three different types of dietary fat (soybean oil, lard, and fish oil) on anxiety-like and depression-like behavior in mice. For the short term intake assessment, a behavioral test battery for anxiety and depression was carried out for a 3-day feeding period. For the long term intake assessment, a behavioral test battery began after the 4-week feeding period. During the short term intake, the time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus-maze was the longest in the fish oil fed group, followed by the soybean oil and lard-fed groups. The elevated plus-maze is a common animal model to assess anxiety, in which an increased time spent in the open arms indicates an anxiolytic effect. The difference between the fish oil-fed group and lard-fed group was statistically significant (p < 0.01), but there was no significant difference between the soybean oil-fed group and the other two groups. Similar results were observed after a 4-week feeding period. On the other hand, there was no significant difference among the three groups in behavior tests to evaluate depression. Thus, the dietary fat types appeared to influence anxiety but not depression in mice, both in short term (3 days) and long term (4 weeks) feeding.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2193-1801-2-165) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Low-Dose Fish Oil Consumption Prevents Hepatic Lipid Accumulation in High Cholesterol Diet Fed Mice

We examined the effects of low-dose fish oil ingestion on hepatic lipid accumulation caused after high cholesterol feeding in C57BL/6J mice. The mice were fed purified experimental diets consisting of 20 energy % (en%) safflower oil (SO or SO/CH), 2 en% fish oil + 18 en% safflower oil (2FO or 2FO/CH), or 5 en% fish oil + 15 en% safflower oil (5FO or 5FO/CH) with or without 2 weight % (wt %) cholesterol for 8 weeks. Hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol contents were significantly lower in groups that were fed diets containing fish oil and cholesterol than in those that were fed safflower oil and cholesterol. The hepatic mRNA levels of fatty acid synthase (FAS) were lower in groups fed cholesterol or fish oil. Fatty acid oxidation-related hepatic gene expressions were higher in fish oil-fed groups. Fecal cholesterol excretion was higher in all cholesterol-fed groups; cholesterol excretion was high in groups fed fish oil and cholesterol. These results suggest that low-dose fish oil diets improve lipid metabolism by modifying the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in the liver and increasing fecal cholesterol excretion.