Stearoyl-CoA desaturase indexes and n-6/n-3 fatty acids ratio as biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk factors in normal-weight rabbits fed high fat diets.

ALARCON, G.; ROCO, J.; MEDINA, A; VAN NIEUWENHOVE, C; MEDINA M,; JEREZ S

JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE

BIOMED CENTRAL LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2016 vol. 23 p. 13 - 21

1021-7770

Background: Biomarkers for cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors would be important tools to maximize the effectivenessof dietary interventions to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the aim of this work was to analyze stearoyl-CoAdesaturase (SCD) indexes and n-6/n-3 fatty acids (FA) ratio as biomarkers of CMR induced by feeding rabbits onhigh fat diets (HFDs).Methods: Rabbits were fed either regular diet or 18 % fat in regular diet (HFD) or 1 % cholesterol diet (HD) ordiet containing 1 % cholesterol and 18 % fat (HFD-HD) during 6 weeks. Body weights (BW), blood pressure,visceral abdominal fat (VAF) and glucose tolerance test were determined. Total cholesterol (TC), low densitylipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), fasting glucose(FG), and FA levels from plasma were measured. SCD indexes were calculated as product/precursor ratios ofindividual FA.Results: BW was similar in all diet groups. HD increased TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG. HFD increased TG, VAF andFG, and decreased HDL-C. The addition of HFD to HD joined to dyslipidemia increased VAF and FG. SCD indexeswere increased and n-6/n-3 was unchanged in HD. SCD indexes were reduced and n-6/n-3 FA ratio was increased inHFD and HFD-HD. CMR factors were correlated positively with n-6/n-3 FA ratio. Although VAF had a strongercorrelation with n-6/n-3 FA ratio than with SCD indexes, VAF was associated independently to both markers.Conclusions: HFD simulating lipid composition of the average Western-style diet induced experimental rabbitmodels of normal-weight metabolic syndrome (MS). SCD indexes and n-6/n-3 were modified according to thetype of dietary fat. Considering that VAF and CMR factors appear to be stronger associated to n-6/n-3 FA ratiothan to SCD indexes, n-6/n-3 FA ratio may be a better biomarker of MS and CMR in normal-weight subjects thanSCD indexes.Keywords: Metab