Effects of long-chain monounsaturated and n-3 fatty acids on fatty acid oxidation and lipid composition in rats

Long-chain n-3 fatty acids and fat fish are reported, among multiple physiological properties, to enhance peroxisomal beta -oxidation and effect triacylglycerol status. Long-chain n-3 and monounsaturated fatty acids are the main portion of fatty acids in fat fish. The individual effect of long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids on beta -oxidation and fatty acid composition was tested and compared to the effect of n-3 polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids in a 3-week feeding experiment of rats. To explore the contribution from long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids in these aspects, the effect of long-chain n-3 and monounsaturated fatty acids on mitochondrial and peroxisomal beta -oxidation was compared, as well as fatty acid composition of adipose tissue, liver and serum. Fatty acid oxidase, palmitoyltransferase I and II activities, the amount of serum lipids, and the fatty acid composition of lipid fractions from the organs were analysed. The peroxisomal beta -oxidation was enhanced by the n-3 fatty acids, whereas a small, significant increase with the monounsaturated fatty acids was observed. There was a stimulation of the mitochondrial oxidation with the n-3 fatty acids, but monounsaturated fatty acids gave a small, nonsignificant decrease. With n-3 fatty acids there was a considerable decrease in the levels of serum triacylglycerol, phospholipids, free fatty acids and total cholesterol, while there were only minor effects of monounsaturated fatty acids. As judged from the fatty acid composition data, there was a mobilization on n-3 fatty acids from the adipose tissue to liver and plasma with the n-3 diet. This observation was also seen with the monounsaturated fatty acid-enriched diet. In conclusion, monounsaturated fatty acids seemed to stimulate peroxisomal beta -oxidation and to increase plasma triacylglycerol, whereas the mitochondrial oxidation was slightly decreased. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.