Diets enriched in unsaturated fatty acids enhance apolipoprotein A-I catabolism but do not affect either its production or hepatic mRNA abundance in cynomolgus monkeys.

To determine the mechanisms whereby dietary fatty acids influence high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein (apo) A-I concentrations, ten cynomolgus monkeys were fed each of three experimental diets enriched in saturated (SAT), monounsaturated (MONO), or polyunsaturated (POLY) fatty acids in a crossover design consisting of three 13-week periods, with each animal serving as its own control. Each diet contained 30% of energy as fat with 0.22 mg cholesterol/kcal and differed solely by the isocaloric substitution of fatty acids as 18% of total energy calories. The replacement of dietary saturated fatty acids with either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively, resulted in significant reductions of plasma total cholesterol (-17%; -30%), HDL cholesterol (-32%; -41%), and apo A-I (-37%; -44%) concentrations, while no significant differences were noted in plasma lipid or apo A-I concentrations when the MONO and POLY phases were compared. Although the MONO and POLY diets were similar in their effects on plasma lipids and apolipoproteins, the HDL of monkeys fed the POLY diet, as compared with either the SAT or the MONO diets, contained more cholesteryl ester and phospholipid but less total protein, resulting in a significantly lower total lipid to protein constituent ratio. Metabolic experiments revealed that the significantly lower plasma apo A-I concentrations observed during both the MONO and POLY phases relative to SAT were directly attributable to enhanced HDL apo A-I catabolism. Conversely, neither HDL apo A-I production rates nor hepatic apo A-I mRNA concentrations were significantly affected by dietary fatty acid perturbation in this study. Taken together, these data indicate that fractional catabolic rate is the predominant mechanism by which dietary fatty acids differentially modulate circulating concentrations of HDL apo A-I in this species when all other dietary variables are held constant.

A diet enriched in monounsaturated fats decreases low density lipoprotein concentrations in cynomolgus monkeys by a different mechanism than does a diet enriched in polyunsaturated fats.

To determine the mechanisms whereby dietary fat saturation influences LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations, 10 cynomolgus monkeys were fed each of three experimental diets enriched in saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids in a crossover design consisting of three 13-wk periods. Each diet contained 30% of energy as fat with 0.05 mg cholesterol/kJ and differed solely by the isocaloric substitution of fatty acids as 60% of total fat energy. The replacement of dietary saturated fatty acids with either mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids resulted in significant reductions of plasma total cholesterol (-17% and -30%, respectively), HDL cholesterol (-32% and -41%, respectively), apoA-1 (-37% and -44%, respectively), and apolipoprotein B (-28% and -36%, respectively) concentrations. Additionally, when dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids were substituted for saturated fatty acids, a 27% reduction in VLDL + LDL cholesterol was significant. Metabolic experiments suggested that the significantly reduced concentrations of apolipoprotein B observed during the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid phases relative to the saturated fatty acid phase could not be entirely explained by changes in LDL apolipoprotein B clearance but rather were likely due to decreased LDL apolipoprotein B production rates. However, enhanced LDL apolipoprotein B catabolism accounted for the even greater reductions in VLDL + LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations observed during the polyunsaturated fatty acid phase vs. the monounsaturated fatty acid phase. Our data suggest that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids lower apolipoprotein B concentrations by distinct mechanisms, with polyunsaturated fatty acids affecting LDL apolipoprotein B catabolism as well as production.

Effect of corn and coconut oil-containing diets with and without cholesterol on high density lipoprotein apoprotein A-I metabolism and hepatic apoprotein A-I mRNA levels in cebus monkeys.

The mechanism(s) by which diets containing corn or coconut oil (31% of energy as fat) totally free of cholesterol or with 0.1% added cholesterol by weight (0.3 mg/kcal) affect plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), apoprotein (apo) A-I levels, apo A-I kinetics, and hepatic apo A-I mRNA concentrations were investigated in 26 cebus monkeys. Coconut oil-fed monkeys had elevated levels of plasma total cholesterol (217%), very low density lipoprotein plus low density lipoprotein cholesterol (331%), HDL-C (159%), and apo A-I (117%) compared with corn oil-fed animals. Although the addition of cholesterol to the corn oil diet significantly increased these parameters, no such effects were seen when cholesterol was added to the coconut-oil diet. Both the type of fat and cholesterol in the diet significantly affected HDL apo A-I metabolism by decreasing apo A-I fractional catabolic rate and increasing apo A-I production rate in the coconut oil-fed groups. The decrease in apo A-I fractional catabolic rate in the coconut oil-fed animals was also associated with an increase in the HDL core lipid to surface ratio. Liver apo A-I mRNA abundance was elevated in the coconut oil-fed groups; however, dietary cholesterol had no affect on these levels. The lack of parallel effects of dietary fat and cholesterol on apo A-I production rate and liver apo A-I mRNA levels suggests that the increase in the apo A-I production rate observed in the coconut oil-fed groups resulted from the fat-induced rise in liver apo A-I mRNA abundance, whereas the cholesterol-induced rise in the apo A-I production rate resulted from a mechanism other than changes in liver apo A-I mRNA levels.