Polyunsaturated fatty acid oxidation in Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder which has been characterised with genetic (apolipoproteins), protein (ß-amyloid and tau) and lipid oxidation/metabolism alterations in its pathogenesis. In conjunction with the Dementia Research Group, Bristol University, investigation into genetic, protein and lipid oxidation in Alzheimer’s disease was conducted. A large sample cohort using the double-blind criteria, along with various clinical and chemical data sets were used to improve the statistical analysis and therefore the strength of this particular study. Bristol University completed genetic and protein analysis with lipid oxidation assays performed at Aston University. Lipid oxidation is a complex process that creates various biomarkers, from transient intermediates, to short carbon chain products and cyclic ring structures. Quantification of these products was performed on lipid extracts of donated clinical diseased and non-diseased frontal and temporal brain regions, from the Brain Bank within Frenchay Hospital. The initial unoxidised fatty acids, first transient oxidation intermediates the conjugated dienes and lipid hydroperoxides, the endpoint aldehyde biomarkers and finally the cyclic isoprostanes and neuroprostanes were determined to investigate lipid oxidation in Alzheimer’s. Antioxidant levels were also investigated to observe the effect of oxidation on the defence pathways. Assays utilised in this analysis included; fatty acid composition by GC-FID, conjugated diene levels by HPLC-UV and UV-spec, lipid hydroperoxide levels by FOX, aldehyde content by TBARs, antioxidant status by TEAC and finally isoprostane and neuroprostane quantification using a newly developed EI-MS method. This method involved the SIM of specific ions from F-ring isoprostane and neuroprostane fragmentation, which enabled EI-MS to be used for their quantification. Analyses demonstrated that there was no significant difference between control and Alzheimer samples across all the oxidation biomarkers for both brain regions. Antioxidants were the only marker that showed a clear variance; with Alzheimer samples having higher levels than the age matched controls. This unique finding is supported with the observed lower levels of lipid oxidation biomarkers in Alzheimer brain region samples. The increased antioxidant levels indicate protection against oxidation which may be a host response to counteract the oxidative pathways, but this requires further investigation. In terms of lipid oxidation, no definitive markers or target site for therapeutic intervention have been revealed. This study concludes that dietary supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids or antioxidants would most likely be ineffective against Alzheimer disease, although it may support improvement in other areas of general health.

Metabolic memory effect of the saturated fatty acid, palmitate, in monocytes

Hyperglycaemia has a deferred detrimental effect on glucose metabolism, termed "metabolic memory". Elevated saturated fatty acids promote insulin resistance, hyperglycaemia and associated atherosclerotic complications, but their effect on "metabolic memory" is unknown. Therefore we investigated whether basal and insulin-stimulated (10(-6)M for 12h) glucose (2-deoxy-D-[(3)H]-glucose) uptake was affected by palmitate pre-treatment human THP-1 monocytes. Palmitate-induced a time-dependent and concentration-dependent inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, showing almost complete abolition of the insulin-stimulatory effect with 300 microM palmitate. Basal glucose uptake was unaffected by palmitate. When palmitate was washed out, the inhibitory effect on insulin-stimulated glucose uptake persisted for at least 60 h.

Fatty acid derivatised analogues of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide with improved antihyperglycaemic and insulinotropic properties

C-terminal acylation of Lys(37) with myristic (MYR; tetradecanoic acid), palmitic (PAL; hexadecanoic acid) and stearic (octadecanoic acid) fatty acids with or without N-terminal acetylation was employed to develop long-acting analogues of the glucoregulatory hormone, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). All GIP analogues exhibited resistance to dipeptidylpeptidase-IV (DPP-IV) and significantly improved in vitro cAMP production and insulin secretion. Administration of GIP analogues to ob/ob mice significantly lowered plasma glucose-GIP(Lys(37)MYR), N-AcGIP(Lys(37)MYR) and GIP(Lys(37)PAL) increased plasma insulin concentrations. GIP(Lys(37)MYR) and N-AcGIP(Lys(37)MYR) elicited protracted glucose-lowering effects when administered 24h prior to an intraperitoneal glucose load. Daily administration of GIP(Lys(37)MYR) and N-AcGIP(Lys(37)MYR) to ob/ob mice for 24 days decreased glucose and significantly improved plasma insulin, glucose tolerance and beta-cell glucose responsiveness. Insulin sensitivity, pancreatic insulin content and triglyceride levels were not changed. These data demonstrate that C-terminal acylation particularly with myristic acid provides a class of stable, longer-acting forms of GIP for further evaluation in diabetes therapy.

Effect of a protein and energy dense n-3 fatty acid enriched oral supplement on loss of weight and lean tissue in cancer cachexia:A randomised double blind trial

Aim: N-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), may possess anticachectic properties. This trial compared a protein and energy dense supplement enriched with n-3 fatty acids and antioxidants (experimental: E) with an isocaloric isonitrogenous control supplement (C) for their effects on weight, lean body mass (LBM), dietary intake, and quality of life in cachectic patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods: A total of 200 patients (95 E; 105 C) were randomised to consume two cans/day of the E or C supplement (480 ml, 620 kcal, 32 g protein ± 2.2 g EPA) for eight weeks in a multicentre, randomised, double blind trial. Results: At enrolment, patients' mean rate of weight loss was 3.3 kg/month. Intake of the supplements (E or C) was below the recommended dose (2 cans/day) and averaged 1.4 cans/day. Over eight weeks, patients in both groups stopped losing weight (Δweight E: -0.25 kg/month versus C: -0.37 kg/month; p=0.74) and LBM (ΔLBM E: +0.27 kg/month versus C: +0.12 kg/month; p=0.88) to an equal degree (change from baseline E and C, p<0.001). In view of evident non-compliance in both E and C groups, correlation analyses were undertaken to examine for potential dose-response relationships. E patients demonstrated significant correlations between their supplement intake and weight gain (r=0.50, p<0.001) and increase in LBM (r=0.33, p=0.036). Such correlations were not statistically significant in C patients. The relationship of supplement intake with change in LBM was significantly different between E and C patients (p=0.043). Increased plasma EPA levels in the E group were associated with weight and LBM gain (r=0.50, p<0.001; r=0.51, p=0.001). Weight gain was associated with improved quality of life (p<0.01) only in the E group. Conclusion: Intention to treat group comparisons indicated that at the mean dose taken, enrichment with n-3 fatty acids did not provide a therapeutic advantage and that both supplements were equally effective in arresting weight loss. Post hoc dose-response analysis suggests that if taken in sufficient quantity, only the n-3 fatty acid enriched energy and protein dense supplement results in net gain of weight, lean tissue, and improved quality of life. Further trials are required to examine the potential role of n-3 enriched supplements in the treatment of cancer cachexia.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid requirements of murine colon adenocarcinomas

The polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) requirements of three transplantable murine colon adenocarcinomas, the MAC13, MAC16 and MAC26, were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. When serum concentrations became growth limiting in vitro, proliferation of the MAC13 and MAC26 cell lines was stimulated by linoleic acid (LA) at 18μM and arachidonic acid (AA) at 16 or 33μM respectively. This was not demonstrated by the MAC16 cell line. MAC13 and MAC26 cells were found to be biochemically fatty acid deficient as measured by the formation of Mead acid (20:3 n-9), but the MAC16 cells were not. In vivo the growth of the MAC26 tumour was stimulated by daily oral administration of LA between 0.4-2.0g/kg. There was a threshold value of 0.4g/kg for the stimulation of MAC26 tumour growth, above which there was no further increase in tumour growth, and below which no increase in tumour growth was observed. This increased tumour growth was due to the stimulation of tumour cell proliferation in all areas of the tumour, with no effect on the cell loss factor. The growth of the MAC13, MAC16, and MAC26 cell lines in vitro were more effectively inhibited by lipoxygenase (LO) inhibitors than the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin. The specific 5-LO inhibitor Zileuton and the leukotriene D4 antagonist L-660,711 were less effective inhibitors of MAC cell growth in vitro than the less specific LO inhibitors BWA4C, BWB70C and CV6504. Studies of the hyroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) produced from exogenous AA in these cells, suggested that a balance of eicosanoids produced from 5-LO, 12-LO and 15-LO pathways was required for cell proliferation. In vivo BWA4C, BWB70C and CV6504 demonstrated antitumour action against the MAC26 tumour between 20-50mg/kg/day. CV6504 also inhibited the growth of the MAC 13 tumour in vivo with an optimal effect between 5-10mg/kg/day. The antitumour action against the MAC16 tumour was also accompanied by a reduction in the tumour-induced host body weight loss at 10-25mg/kg/day. The antitumour action of CV6504 in all three tumour models was partially reversed by daily oral administration of 1.0g/kg LA. Studies of the AA metabolism in tumour homogenates suggested that this profound antitumour action, against what are generally chemoresistant tumours, was due to inhibition of eicosanoid production through LO pathways. As a result of these studies, CV6504 has been proposed for stage I./II. clinical trials against pancreatic cancer by the Cancer Research Campaign. This will be the first LO inhibitor entering the clinic as a therapeutic agent.

Effect of cancer cachexia on triacylglycerol/fatty acid substrate cycling in white adipose tissue

The effect of cancer cachexia on the TAG/FA substrate cycle in white adipose tissue was determined in vivo using the MAC16 murine model of cachexia. When compared with non-tumor-bearing animals, the rate of TAG-glycerol production was found to be increased almost threefold in animals bearing the MAC13 tumor, which does not induce cachexia, but was not further elevated in animals bearing the MAC16 tumor. In both cases TAG-glycerol production and de novo synthesis of TAG-FA were also increased above non-tumor-bearing animals. In animals bearing the MAC16 tumor, the TAG-FA rates were significantly higher than in animals bearing the MAC13 tumor. This suggests that the presence of the tumor alone is sufficient to cause an increase in cycling rate, and in the absence of an elevated energy intake (MAC16) this may contribute to the depletion of adipose tissue.

Fatty acid composition, antioxidants and lipid oxidation in chicken breasts from different production regimes

Chicken breast from nine products and from the following production regimes: conventional (chilled and frozen), organic and free range, were analysed for fatty acid composition of total lipids, preventative and chain breaking antioxidant contents and lipid oxidation during 5 days of sub-ambient storage following purchase. Total lipids were extracted with an optimal amount of a cold chloroform methanol solvent. Lipid compositions varied, but there were differences between conventional and organic products in their contents of total polyunsaturated fatty acids and n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and n-6:n-3 ratio. Of the antioxidants, a-tocopherol content was inversely correlated with lipid oxidation. The antioxidant enzyme activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase varied between products. Modelling with partial least squares regression showed no overall relationship between total antioxidants and lipid data, but certain individual antioxidants showed a relationship with specific lipid fractions.

Fatty acid and phospholipid chlorohydrins cause cell stress and endothelial adhesion

The oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is thought to contribute to atherogenesis, which is an inflammatory disease involving activation of phagocytic cells. Myeloperoxidase, an enzyme which is able to produce hypochlorous acid (HOCl), is released from these phagocytic cells, and has been found in an active form in atherosclerotic plaques. HOCl can oxidize both the lipid and protein moiety of LDL, and HOCl-modified LDL has been found to be pro-inflammatory, although it is not known which component is responsible for this effect. As HOCl can oxidize lipids to give chlorohydrins, we hypothesized that phospholipid chlorohydrins might have toxic and pro-inflammatory effects. We have formed chlorohydrins from fatty acids (oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acids) and from phospholipids (stearoyl-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine, stearoyl-linoleoyl phosphatidylcholine and stearoyl-arachidonoyl phosphatidylcholine), and investigated various biological effects of these oxidation products. Fatty acid and phospholipid chlorohydrins were found to deplete ATP levels in U937 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with significant effects observed at concentrations of 25 µM and above. Low concentrations (25 µM) of stearoyl-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine and stearoyl-arachidonoyl phosphatidylcholine chlorohydrins were also found to increase caspase-3 activity. Finally, stearoyl-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine chlorohydrin increased leukocyte adhesion to artery segments isolated from C57Bl/6 mice. These results demonstrate potentially harmful effects of lipid chlorohydrins, and suggest that they may contribute to some of the pro-inflammatory effects that HOCl-modified low density lipoprotein has been found to induce.

Can surface energy measurements predict the impact of catalyst hydrophobicity upon fatty acid esterification over sulfonic acid functionalised periodic mesoporous organosilicas?

Sulfonic acid functionalised periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PrSO3 H-PMOs) with tunable hydrophobicity were synthesised via a surfactant-templating route, and characterised by porosimetry, TEM, XRD, XPS, inverse gas chromatography (IGC) and ammonia pulse chemisorption. IGC reveals that incorporation of ethyl or benzyl moieties into a mesoporous SBA-15 silica framework significantly increases the non-specific dispersive surface energy of adsorption for alkane adsorption, while decreasing the free energy of adsorption of methanol, reflecting increased surface hydrophobicity. The non-specific dispersive surface energy of adsorption of PMO-SO3H materials is strongly correlated with their activity towards palmitic acid esterification with methanol, demonstrating the power of IGC as an analytical tool for identifying promising solid acid catalysts for the esterification of free fatty acids. A new parameter [-ΔGCNP-P], defined as the per carbon difference in Gibbs free energy of adsorption between alkane and polar probe molecules, provides a simple predictor of surface hydrophobicity and corresponding catalyst activity in fatty acid esterification. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.