The effects of trans fatty acids on intestinal lipoprotein secretion were determined in polarized Caco-2 cells. Palmitic acid (16:0), palmitoleic acid (c-16:1⌬9), and palmitelaidic acid (t-16:1⌬9), as well as stearic acid (18:0), oleic acid (c-18:1⌬9), c-vaccenic acid (c-18:1⌬11), elaidic acid (t-18:1⌬9), and t-vaccenic acid (t-18:1⌬11) were studied. Compared with 18:0 (control), c-and t-18:1⌬9 increased triacylglycerol secretion (2.7-and 3.6-fold, respectively) as well as apolipoprotein (apo) B-48 and apo B-100 secretion (both 1.6-fold compared with 18:0); c-and t-18:1⌬11 caused a modest 1.7-fold increase in triacylglycerol secretion with no significant effect on secretion of apo B. Thus, the position of the double bond in the 18:1 isomers, but not its geometrical configuration, affected lipoprotein secretion by Caco-2 cells. In contrast, the effects of the geometrical isomers (cis and trans) of C 16 fatty acids were not comparable: t-16:1⌬9 did not affect triacylglycerol and apo B secretion (compared with 16:0, as control) whereas c-16:1⌬9 was a potent stimulator of secretion of triacylglycerol (2.4-fold higher than 16:0), apo B-48 (1.3-fold higher than 16:0), and apo B-100 (1.5-fold higher than 16:0). We conclude that the carbon chain length of fatty acids, as well as the position of double bonds and their stereochemical configuration, are important determinants of the unique effects of various species of dietary trans fatty acids on lipoprotein secretion and composition in Caco-2 cells.Am J Clin Nutr 1998;68:561-7.
KEY WORDSIntestine, apolipoprotein B, Caco-2 cells, cis fatty acids, trans fatty acids, lipoproteins, diet, triacylglycerol, chylomicrons, in vitro study
INTRODUCTIONSynthesis of chylomicrons in the enterocyte represents the initial step in the cascade of metabolic events that connects dietary fat intake with plasma lipid and lipoprotein profiles and the possible development of coronary artery disease (CAD) (1, 2). Postprandial lipemia is determined by the contribution of chylomicrons containing triacylglycerol from dietary sources as well as that of VLDLs that carry liver-derived triacylglycerols. Various dietary fatty acids are known to have specific effects on plasma triacylglycerol concentrations (3, 4), reflecting interference with intestinal chylomicron assembly and metabolism. One specific class of dietary fatty acids that has received growing attention in the past decades is that of the trans fatty acids. trans Fatty acids are known to cause changes in plasma lipids and lipoprotein phenotypes, but the mechanisms involved are unknown. The major dietary sources of trans fatty acids are partly hydrogenated vegetable oils, mainly elaidic acid (t-18:1⌬9). Additional sources are animal and dairy fats [palmitelaidic acid (t-16:1⌬9) and tvaccenic acid (t-18:1⌬11)] and partly hydrogenated fish oils (very-long-chain trans fatty acids, ie, > C 22 ). Because humans cannot synthesize trans fatty acids (5, 6), all trans fatty acids are derived from nutritional sources. Dietary trans fatty acids ...