Regulation of lipid metabolism-related gene expression in whole blood cells of normo- and dyslipidemic men after fish oil supplementation

• Published in: Lipids in health and disease 2012-12, Vol.11 (1), p.172-172, Article 172
• Main Authors: Schmidt, Simone, Willers, Janina, Stahl, Frank, Mutz, Kai-Oliver, Scheper, Thomas, Hahn, Andreas, Schuchardt, Jan Philipp
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anopheles; Apolipoproteins; Care and treatment; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Diet; Dietary Supplements; DNA binding proteins; DNA microarrays; Dyslipidemia; Dyslipidemias; Dyslipidemias - drug therapy; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Fish oils; Fish Oils - administration & dosage; Gene Expression - drug effects; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genetic research; Genetic transcription; Genome, Human; Genomes; Genomics; HNF; Humans; Lipid metabolism; Lipid Metabolism - genetics; Lipids; Lipids - blood; Lipoproteins, LDL - blood; Low density lipoproteins; Male; Metabolism; Microarray Analysis; Middle Aged; Nutrition; Omega-3 fatty acids; Physiological aspects; PPAR alpha - genetics; PPAR alpha - metabolism; PPARα; Protein binding; Proteins; Rodents; RXR; Studies; TG lowering; Triglycerides - blood; Unsaturated fatty acids
• ISSN: 1476-511X; 1476-511X
• DOI: 10.1186/1476-511X-11-172

Beneficial effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) on the lipid levels of dyslipidemic subjects are widely described in the literature. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of n-3 PUFAs on the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in normo- and dyslipidemic men to unveil potential genes and pathways affecting lipid metabolism. Ten normo- and ten dyslipidemic men were supplemented for twelve weeks with six fish oil capsules per day, providing 1.14 g docosahexaenoic acid and 1.56 g eicosapentaenoic acid. The gene expression levels were determined by whole genome microarray analysis and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Several transcription factors (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), retinoid X receptor (RXR) α, RXRγ, hepatic nuclear factor (HNF) 6, and HNF1ß) as well as other genes related to triacylglycerol (TG) synthesis or high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and cholesterol metabolism (phospholipids transfer protein, ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 5, 2-acylglycerol O-acyltransferase (MOGAT) 3, MOGAT2, diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1, sterol O-acyltransferase 1, apolipoprotein CII, and low-density lipoprotein receptor) were regulated after n-3 PUFA supplementation, especially in dyslipidemic men. Gene expression analyses revealed several possible molecular pathways by which n-3 PUFAs lower the TG level and increase the HDL-C and low-density lipoprotein level, whereupon the regulation of PPARα appear to play a central role. ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT01089231).