Sheep cheese naturally enriched in α-linolenic, conjugated linoleic and vaccenic acids improves the lipid profile and reduces anandamide in the plasma of hypercholesterolaemic subjects.

Intake of dairy fat has long been considered as a risk factor for CVD. Pasture and dietary lipid supplementation have been reported to be reliable strategies in ruminant nutrition, in order to increase the content of α-linolenic acid (ALA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and vaccenic acid (VA), and decrease SFA in milk fat. In the present study, we aimed at verifying whether consumption of a sheep cheese, naturally enriched in ALA, CLA and VA, would modify the plasma lipid and endocannabinoid profiles in mildly hypercholesterolaemic subjects. A total of forty-two adult volunteers (nineteen males and twenty-three females) with diagnosed mildly hypercholesterolaemia (total cholesterol 5·68-7·49 mmol/l) were randomly assigned to eat 90 g/d of a control or enriched cheese for 3 weeks, with a cross-over after 3 weeks of washout. Plasma lipids, endocannabinoids, adipokines and inflammatory markers were measured. The intake of enriched cheese significantly increased the plasma concentrations of CLA, VA, the n-3 fatty acids ALA and EPA, and more remarkably decreased that of the endocannabinoid anandamide. LDL-cholesterol decreased significantly (7%). No changes were detected in the levels of inflammatory markers; however, a significant correlation was found between the plasma levels of anandamide and leptin. The control cheese modified none of the parameters measured. The results obtained do not support the view that intake of dairy fat is detrimental to hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Indeed, they show that a naturally enriched cheese possesses beneficial properties, since it ameliorates the plasma lipid profile, and more remarkably reduces endocannabinoid biosynthesis.

Y-chromosome 10 locus short tandem repeat haplotypes in a population sample from Sicily Italy.

This study reports the first data on Y-chromosome-specific short tandem repeat (STR) haplotype frequencies, in the population of the island of Sicily (Italy), based on the combination of alleles at the following 10 Y-chromosome loci DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS437, DYS438, and DYS439. In a total of 117 males, 108 unique haplotypes were observed, with 99 of them being singletons. The 10 locus haplotypes generated a diversity value of 0.9987 and discriminatory power (DP) of 92.30%. The data on the seven of the 10 polymorphisms (DYS19; DYS389I; DYS389II; DYS390; DYS391; DYS392 and DYS393) that have been most studied in worldwide populations were compared with similar data from neighboring Mediterranean populations in order to address the question of shared ancestry, gene flow and population affinities. Overall, results indicate Sicily is closest genetically to the mainland Italian population but also with evidence of a significant African component in the male gene pool. These findings are consistent with those obtained from other genetic markers (autosomal and mitochondrial DNA as well as the classical blood groups) and also with the recorded settlement history (either peaceful or due to invasion) of the island.