Dietary Oxidized Linoleic Acids Modulate Fatty Acids in Mice

An elevated concentration of oxidized lipids along with the abnormal accumulation of lipids has been linked to the formation of atheromatous plaque and the development of cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to investigate if consumption of different concentrations of dietary oxidized linoleic acid alters the distribution of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) within the liver relative to plasma in mice.

C57BL/6 male mice (n = 40) were divided into 4 groups: Standard chow as plain control (P group, n =10), Chow supplemented with linoleic acid 9 mg/mouse/day, linoleic control (C group, n=0), oxidized linoleic acid; 9 mg/mouse/day (A group, n=10) and oxidized linoleic acid 18 mg/mouse/day diet (B group, n=10). Liver and plasma samples were extracted, trans-esterified and subsequently analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for LCFAs; palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid.

LCFA methyl esters were eluted and identified based on their respective physiochemical characteristics of GCMS assay with inter assay coefficient of variation percentage (CV%, 1.81-5.28%), limits of quantification and limit of detection values (2.021-11.402 mg/mL and 1.016-4.430 mg/mL) respectively. Correlation analysis of liver and plasma lipids of the mice groups yielded coefficients (r=0.96, 0.6, 0.8 and 0.33) with fatty acid percentage total of (16%, 10%, 16% and 58%) for the P, C, A and B groups respectively.

The sustained consumption of a diet rich in oxidized linoleic acid disrupted fatty acid metabolism. The intake also resulted in elevated concentration of LCFAs that are precursors of bioactive metabolite molecule.