Modulation of plasma N-acylethanolamine levels and physiological parameters by dietary fatty acid composition in humans

• Published in: Journal of lipid research 2014-12, Vol.55 (12), p.2655-2664
• Main Authors: Jones, Peter J.H., Lin, Lin, Gillingham, Leah G., Yang, Haifeng, Omar, Jaclyn M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adiposity; Adult; arachidonoylethanolamide; body composition; Body Mass Index; canola oil; clinical trials; Cohort Studies; Cross-Over Studies; Dietary Fats - metabolism; endocannabinoids; Endocannabinoids - blood; Endocannabinoids - metabolism; Energy Metabolism; fatty acid metabolism; fatty acid oxidation; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated - metabolism; Female; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia - blood; Hypercholesterolemia - etiology; Hypercholesterolemia - metabolism; Linseed Oil - metabolism; Male; Middle Aged; oleic acid; Oleic Acids - blood; Oleic Acids - metabolism; oleoylethanolamide; Overweight - physiopathology; Oxidation-Reduction; Patient Dropouts; Patient-Oriented and Epidemiological Research; peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor; Polyunsaturated Alkamides - blood; Polyunsaturated Alkamides - metabolism; Rapeseed Oil; Single-Blind Method; Up-Regulation
• ISSN: 0022-2275; 1539-7262
• DOI: 10.1194/jlr.P051235

N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) are endogenous lipid-signaling molecules involved in satiety and energetics; however, how diet impacts circulating NAE concentrations and their downstream metabolic actions in humans remains unknown. Objectives were to examine effects of diets enriched with high-oleic canola oil (HOCO) or HOCO blended with flaxseed oil (FXCO), compared with a Western diet (WD), on plasma NAE levels and the association with energy expenditure and substrate oxidation. Using a randomized controlled crossover design, 36 hypercholesterolemic participants consumed three isoenergetic diets for 28 days, each containing 36% energy from fat, of which 70% was HOCO, FXCO, or WD. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-MS/MS was used to measure plasma NAE levels and indirect calorimetry to assess energy expenditure and substrate oxidation. After 28 days, compared with WD, plasma oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and alpha-linolenoyl ethanolamide (ALEA) levels were significantly increased in response to HOCO and FXCO (P = 0.002, P < 0.001), respectively. Correlation analysis demonstrated an inverse association between plasma OEA levels and percent body fat (r = −0.21, P = 0.04), and a positive association was observed between the plasma arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA)/OEA ratio and android:gynoid fat (r = 0.23, P = 0.02), respectively. Results suggest that plasma NAE levels are upregulated via their dietary lipid substrates and may modulate regional and total fat mass through lipid-signaling mechanisms.