Relationships Between Serum Unsaturated Fatty Acids and Coronary Risk Factors Negative Relations Between Nervonic Acid and Obesity-Related Risk Factors

Abstract

SUMMARYRelative increases in unsaturated fatty acids (USFA) in the diet are considered to exert beneficial effects on coronary risk factors (CRF). However, detailed analysis of the relationships between serum USFA and CRF are scanty and there is no report of the relationship between nervonic acid (NA) and CRF. The objective of the present study was to analyze the relationships between serum USFA and CRF.Body height and weight, blood pressure, fasting serum total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), HDL cholesterol (HDLc), fasting blood sugar (FBS), total fatty acid composition, leptin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in 31 men (age, 41-78 years) and 11 women (age, 54-77 years). The relationships between serum USFA, and body mass index (BMI), leptin, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), TC, TG, HDLc, FBS, and CRP were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The final results were summarized using coronary risk factor scores (CRFS) in order to assess the correlations between USFA with CRF.Oleic acid (OA), linoleic acid (LA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were positively related to coronary risk factors (total CRFS = 2, 3, and 4, respectively), while nervonic acid (NA) exerted negative effects on these risk factors (total CRFS = −6 ). It is concluded NA may have preventive effects on obesity-related metabolic disorders. (Int Heart J 2005; 46: 975-985)

Decreased nervonic acid levels in erythrocyte membranes predict psychosis in help-seeking ultra-high-risk individuals

“…The present data also suggest that these affected myelin pathways may in particular contribute to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Finally, in light of previously observed negative associations between NA and obesity-related risk factors, 12 it is unlikely that the present alterations in NA were simply an epiphenomenon of the metabolic syndrome. The results of our study would have been more convincing if fatty acid data of healthy nonhelp-seeking matched controls had been included in our design.…”

Metabolite Profiling Identifies Candidate Markers Reflecting the Clinical Adaptations Associated with Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery

“…We integrated data for the 8 aforementioned metabolites with the clinical data available for our subjects regarding BMI and HOMA-IR. Nervonic acid was found to be negatively correlated with HOMA-IR, which is of particular interest considering that this fatty acid has previously been positioned as having preventive effects on obesity-related metabolic parameters [43]. While little else is known regarding its functional role in obesity, it will be interesting to determine whether nervonic acid induces or is simply a consequence of the metabolic improvements seen post RYGB.…”

Serum adiponectin and TNFα concentrations are closely associated with epicardial adipose tissue fatty acid profiles in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery

“…Therefore, it is speculated that reduced food intake leads to significant increases in C20 elongation products with a concomitant increase in adiponectin concentration. Nervonic acid was found to be negatively correlated with HOMA-IR, and it has been postulated to prevent obesity-related changes in metabolic parameters [45] . Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is associated with weight loss, and improves insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis.…”