Differences in Plasma Fatty Acid Composition Related to Chronic Pancreatitis: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is an inflammatory disease affecting the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients. Signaling in pancreatic cells that lead to inflammation may be influenced by fatty acids (FAs) through diet and de novo lipogenesis. Here, we investigated the relationship between plasma FA composition in CP with heterogeneity of etiology and complications of CP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood and clinical parameters were collected from subjects with CP (n = 47) and controls (n = 22). Plasma was analyzed for FA composition using gas chromatography and compared between controls and CP and within CP. RESULTS: Palmitic acid increased, and linoleic acid decreased in CP compared with controls. Correlations between age or body mass index and FAs are altered in CP compared with controls. Diabetes, pancreatic calcifications, and substance usage, but not exocrine pancreatic dysfunction, were associated with differences in oleic acid and linoleic acid relative abundance in CP. De novo lipogenesis index was increased in the plasma of subjects with CP compared with controls and in calcific CP compared with noncalcific CP. CONCLUSIONS: Fatty acids that are markers of de novo lipogenesis and linoleic acid are dysregulated in CP depending on the etiology or complication. These results enhance our understanding of CP and highlight potential pathways targeting FAs for treating CP.

Oleic Acid Status Positively Correlates with the Soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-Products (sRAGE) in Healthy Adults Who Are Homozygous for G Allele of RAGE G82S Polymorphism.

BACKGROUND: The soluble form of receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) have been implicated in the prevention of numerous pathologic states, and highlights as an attractive therapeutic target. Because diets rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) reduce postprandial oxidative stress and inflammation that is related to better health during aging, we investigated the association between red blood cell (RBC) fatty acids with circulatory AGE biomarkers and further stratified this correlation based on GG and GA + AA genotype. METHODS: A total of 172 healthy participants (median age = 53.74 ± 0.61 years) were recruited for the study. RBC fatty acid was analysed using gas chromatography and sRAGE was measured using a commercial ELISA kit. RESULTS: The result showed a non-significant correlation between total MUFA with sRAGE however oleic acid (C18:1) exhibited a positive correlation (r = 0.178, p = 0.01) that remained statistically significant (ß = 0.178, p = 0.02) after a stepwise multivariate regression analysis after adjusting for age, BMI and gender. In a univariate analysis, a positive significant correlation between C18:1 and sRAGE in GG genotype (r = 0.169, p = 0.02) and a non-significant correlation with GA + AA genotype (r = 0.192, p = 0.21) was evident. When C18:1 was stratified, a significant difference was observed for oleic acid and G82S polymorphism: low C18:1/GA + AA versus high C18:1/GG (p = 0.015) and high C18:1/GA + AA versus high C18:1/GG (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that increased levels of C18:1 may be a potential therapeutic approach in increasing sRAGE in those with GG genotype and play a role in modulating AGE metabolism.

Large-Scale Plasma Analysis Revealed New Mechanisms and Molecules Associated with the Host Response to SARS-CoV-2.

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread to nearly every continent, registering over 1,250,000 deaths worldwide. The effects of SARS-CoV-2 on host targets remains largely limited, hampering our understanding of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis and the development of therapeutic strategies. The present study used a comprehensive untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic approach to capture the host response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We found that several circulating lipids acted as potential biomarkers, such as phosphatidylcholine 14:0_22:6 (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.96), phosphatidylcholine 16:1_22:6 (AUC = 0.97), and phosphatidylethanolamine 18:1_20:4 (AUC = 0.94). Furthermore, triglycerides and free fatty acids, especially arachidonic acid (AUC = 0.99) and oleic acid (AUC = 0.98), were well correlated to the severity of the disease. An untargeted analysis of non-critical COVID-19 patients identified a strong alteration of lipids and a perturbation of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA degradation, arachidonic acid metabolism, and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The severity of the disease was characterized by the activation of gluconeogenesis and the metabolism of porphyrins, which play a crucial role in the progress of the infection. In addition, our study provided further evidence for considering phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity as a potential key factor in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and a possible therapeutic target. To date, the present study provides the largest untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics analysis of plasma from COVID-19 patients and control groups, identifying new mechanisms associated with the host response to COVID-19, potential plasma biomarkers, and therapeutic targets.

Administration of an Intravenous Fat Emulsion Enriched with Medium-Chain Triglyceride/ω-3 Fatty Acids is Beneficial Towards Anti-Inflammatory Related Fatty Acid Profile in Preterm Neonates: A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

Intravenous administration of pure soybean oil emulsions high in linoleic acid may lead to inflammation and lipid peroxidation in preterm neonates. We aimed to investigate the effects of a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT)/ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-enriched intravenous fat emulsion (IVFE) on plasma fatty acid (FA) profile and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) in preterm neonates. In this double-blind randomized study, 92 preterm neonates (gestational age < 32 weeks, birth weight < 1500 g) were assigned to receive either MCT/ω-3 PUFA-enriched IVFE (Intervention Group) or soybean oil-based IVFE (Control Group). Levels of FAs were measured at baseline (day 0) and day 15 of parenteral nutrition with gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry. Serum IL-6 was measured with sandwich ELISA in 59 neonates. Plasma FAs changed significantly over time; the MCT/ω-3 PUFA-IVFE group showed higher ω-3 PUFAs (p = 0.031), eicosapentaenoic acid (p = 0.000), and oleic acid (p = 0.003), and lower ω-6/ω-3 PUFAs ratio (p = 0.001) and ω-6 PUFAs (p = 0.023) compared to control group. Linoleic acid was higher in the soybean oil (SO)-based IVFE arm compared to the MCT/ω-3 PUFAs-IVFE arm (p = 0.006). Both fat emulsion types decreased IL-6 compared to baseline, but changes were insignificant between groups. Administration of MCT/ω-3 PUFA-enriched IVFE in preterm neonates is beneficial in changing the FA profile consistent with attenuated inflammatory response.

Comparison of the Postprandial Metabolic Fate of U-13C Stearic Acid and U-13C Oleic Acid in Postmenopausal Women.

OBJECTIVE: Compare the postprandial fatty acid metabolism of isotopically labeled stearate (U-13C18:0) and oleate (U-13C18:1). Approach and Results: In conjunction with a randomized-controlled crossover trial, 6 hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal women (≥50 years; body mass index: 25.6±3.0 kg/m2; LDL [low-density lipoprotein]-cholesterol ≥110 mg/dL) consumed isocaloric diets enriched in 18:0 or 18:1 (10%-15% E) for 5 weeks each. On day 1 of week 5, following a 12-hour fast, participants receive their experimental diet divided into 13 hourly meals beginning at 8 am. U-13C18:0 or U-13C18:1 was incorporated into the 1:00 pm meal (1.0 mg/kg body weight). Serial blood and breath samples were collected over 12 hours and fasting samples at 24 and 48 hours. Plasma and lipid subfraction fatty acid profiles were assessed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector, isotope-enrichment by liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and fatty acid oxidation rate (expired 13CO2) by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Both diets resulted in similar plasma LDL-cholesterol concentrations. Kinetic curves showed that U-13C18:0 had a higher plasma area under the curve (66%), lower plasma clearance rate (-46%), and a lower cumulative oxidation rate (-34%) than U-13C18:1. Three labeled plasma metabolites of U-13C18:0 were detected: 13C16:0, 13C16:1, and 13C18:1. No plasma metabolites of U-13C18:1 were detected within the study time-frame. Higher incorporation of 18:0 in cholesteryl ester and triglyceride fractions was observed on the 18:0 compared with the 18:1 diet. CONCLUSIONS: The neutrality of 18:0 on plasma LDL-cholesterol concentrations is not attributable to a single factor. Compared with 18:1, 18:0 had higher plasma area under the curve because of lower clearance and oxidation rates, underwent both a direct and a multistage conversion to 18:1, and was preferentially incorporated into cholesteryl esters and triglycerides.

Oleic acid-induced NOX4 is dependent on ANGPTL4 expression to promote human colorectal cancer metastasis.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and related mortality are highly associated with metabolic disorders. However, the molecular mechanism involved in the regulation of hyperlipidemia-associated CRC metastasis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) on NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which might provide new targets for improving outcomes in patients with hyperlipidemia-associated CRC metastasis. Methods: The clinical relevance of relationship between NOX4 expression and ANGPTL4 was examined in CRC patients by the Oncomine and TCGA data set. Expressions of NOX4, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, and gene regulation of NOX4 in free fatty acids (FFAs)-treated CRC cells were determined. The FFAs-triggered metastatic ability of CRC cells under treatments of antioxidants or knockdown of NOX4, ANGPTL4, and MMPs was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. In addition, effects of antioxidants and depletion of metastasis-associated molecules on the correlation between ROS production and FFAs-promoted CRC metastasis were also clarified. Results: In this study, we found that the induction of NOX4, followed by the increased ROS was essential for oleic acid (OA)-promoted CRC cell metastasis. The depletion of ANGPTL4 significantly inhibited c-Jun-mediated transactivation of NOX4 expression, accompanied with reduced levels of ROS, MMP-1, and MMP-9, resulting in the disruption of OA-promoted CRC cell metastasis. Moreover, knockdown of ANGPTL4, NOX4, MMP-1, and MMP-9 or the treatment of antioxidants dramatically inhibited circulating OA-enhanced tumor cell extravasation and metastatic seeding of tumor cells in lungs, indicating that the ANGPTL4/NOX4 axis was critical for dyslipidemia-associated tumor metastasis. Conclusion: The coincident expression of NOX4 and ANGPTL4 in CRC tumor specimens provides the insight into the potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of dyslipidemia-associated CRC metastasis.

Non-genetic biomarkers and colorectal cancer risk: Umbrella review and evidence triangulation.

Several associations between non-genetic biomarkers and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk have been detected, but the strength of evidence and the direction of associations are not confirmed. We aimed to evaluate the evidence of these associations and integrate results from different approaches to assess causal inference. We searched Medline and Embase for meta-analyses of observational studies, meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials (RCTs), and Mendelian randomization (MR) studies measuring the associations between non-genetic biomarkers and CRC risk and meta-analyses of RCTs on supplementary micronutrients. We repeated the meta-analyses using random-effects models and categorized the evidence based on predefined criteria. We described each MR study and evaluated their credibility. Seventy-two meta-analyses of observational studies and 18 MR studies on non-genetic biomarkers and six meta-analyses of RCTs on micronutrient intake and CRC risk considering 65, 42, and five unique associations, respectively, were identified. No meta-analyses of RCTs on blood level biomarkers have been found. None of the associations were classified as convincing or highly suggestive, three were classified as suggestive, and 26 were classified as weak. For three biomarkers explored in MR studies, there was evidence of causality and seven were classified as likely noncausal. For the first time, results from both observational and MR studies were integrated by triangulating the evidence for a wide variety of non-genetic biomarkers and CRC risk. At blood level, lower vitamin D, higher homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance, and human papillomavirus infection were associated with higher CRC risk while increased linoleic acid and oleic acid and decreased arachidonic acid were likely causally associated with lower CRC risk. No association was found convincing in both study types.

Global Plasma Metabolomics to Identify Potential Biomarkers of Blood Pressure Progression.

OBJECTIVE: The pathophysiology of hypertension remains incompletely understood. We investigated associations of circulating metabolites with longitudinal blood pressure (BP) changes in the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors cohort and validated the findings in the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men cohort. Approach and Results: Circulating metabolite levels were assessed with liquid- and gas-chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry among persons without BP-lowering medication at baseline. We studied associations of baseline levels of metabolites with changes in BP levels and the clinical BP stage between baseline and a follow-up examination 5 years later. In the discovery cohort, we investigated 504 individuals that contributed with 757 observations of paired BP measurements. The mean baseline systolic and diastolic BPs were 144 (19.7)/76 (9.7) mm Hg, and change in systolic and diastolic BPs were 3.7 (15.8)/-0.5 (8.6) mm Hg over 5 years. The metabolites associated with diastolic BP change were ceramide, triacylglycerol, total glycerolipids, oleic acid, and cholesterylester. No associations with longitudinal changes in systolic BP or BP stage were observed. Metabolites with similar structures to the 5 top findings in the discovery cohort were investigated in the validation cohort. Diacylglycerol (36:2) and monoacylglycerol (18:0), 2 glycerolipids, were associated with diastolic BP change in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Circulating baseline levels of ceramide, triacylglycerol, total glycerolipids, and oleic acid were positively associated with longitudinal diastolic BP change, whereas cholesterylester levels were inversely associated with longitudinal diastolic BP change. Two glycerolipids were validated in an independent cohort. These metabolites may point towards pathophysiological pathways of hypertension.

The C18:3n6/C22:4n6 ratio is a good lipid marker of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major challenge for public health due to increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and premature death. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical picture of FA and the course of the pathophysiological mechanisms of CKD. METHODS: The study involved 149 patients with CKD and a control group including 43 people. Fatty acid profiles were investigated using gas chromatography. A total of 30 fatty acids and their derivatives were identified and quantified. The omega3, omega6, SFA, MUFA, and PUFA fatty acid contents were calculated. The correlation matrix was obtained for parameters relating to patients with CKD vs. FA, taking patients' sex into consideration. The index C18:3n6/C22:4n6 was calculated according to the length of the treatment. Statistica 12.0 software (Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA) was used for the statistical analyses. RESULTS: The results showed decreased levels of total PUFA and increased concentrations of MUFA, including the activation of the palmitic and oleic acid pathway. An increase in the levels of n-6 9C22: 4n6 family fatty acids in all the patients and a reduction in the n-3 family (EPA, DHA) were observed. C18:3n6 was negatively correlated and C22:4n6 was positively correlated with the duration of the treatment. The index C18:3n6/C22:4n6 was defined as a new marker in the progression of the disease. Moreover, the index C18:3n6/ C22:4n6 was drastically decreased in later period. Nervonic acid was higher in the CKD group. In the group of men with CKD, there was a negative correlation between the excretion of K+, anthropometric measurements, and the levels of EPA and DHA. CONCLUSIONS: The course of inflammation in CKD occurs through the decrease in PUFA and the synthesis of MUFA. The dominating cascade of changes is the elongation of GLA-C18:3n6 into DGLA-C20:3n6 and AA-C20:4n6. As CKD progresses, along with worsening anthropometrical parameters and increased secretion of potassium, the activity of Ʌ6-desaturase decreases, reducing the synthesis of EPA and DHA. The synthesis of AdA-C22:4n6 increases and the ratio C18:3n6/C22:4n6 drastically decreases after 5 years. This parameter can be used to diagnose disease progression.

Features of serum fatty acids in acute ischaemic stroke patients aged 50 years or older.

BACKGROUND: Serum fatty acid (s-FA) compositions and their correlation with serum lipids (s-LPs) such as total cholesterol (T-CHO) and triglycerides (TG) have been reported in healthy young subjects. However, little is known about such features in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). The aim of our study was to investigate s-FA characteristics and their correlation with AIS in elderly patients. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients aged 50 years or older who were admitted between September 2015 and March 2017 within 24 h of the first AIS onset. We evaluated concentrations and compositions of s-FAs and their association with s-LPs, age, and ischaemic stroke subtypes, including large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA), small-vessel occlusion (SVO), and cardioembolism (CE) or others. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-one patients met our inclusion criteria. Their average age was 74.4 years, mean T-CHO and median TG were 203.4 and 94.5 mg/dl, respectively, and median or mean concentrations of palmitic acid (PA), oleic acid (OlA), linoleic acid (LiA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were 680.7, 602.5, 795.2, and 136.9 µg/ml, respectively, with mean compositions of 23.7, 21.3, 27.1, and 4.4%, respectively. PA, OlA, and LiA concentrations were weakly negatively associated with age and positively correlated with TG. In LAA or SVO (LAA_SVO) and CE or others (CE_O), mean age was 71.9 and 77.4 years (p < 0.001), mean T-CHO was 213.9 and 191.2 mg/dl (p < 0.0001), median TG was 106.5 and 88.5 mg/dl (p < 0.01), median PA was 717.2 and 648.4 µg/ml (p < 0.01), median OlA was 638.2 and 567.5 µg/ml (p < 0.01), and median LiA was 844.7 and 728.5 µg/ml (p < 0.01), respectively. DHA composition was weakly positively correlated with age. There were no differences in PA, OlA, LiA, and DHA compositions between LAA_SVO and CE_O. CONCLUSIONS: In AIS elderly patients, concentrations, rather than compositions of PA, OlA, and LiA, correlated with age, TG, and ischaemic stroke subtypes. Patients with LAA_SVO were younger and had higher concentrations of PA, OlA, and LiA than those with CE_O. There were no differences in such compositions between LAA_SVO and CE_O.

Oleic Acid Attenuates Ang II (Angiotensin II)-Induced Cardiac Remodeling by Inhibiting FGF23 (Fibroblast Growth Factor 23) Expression in Mice.

Plasma metabolic profiles were compared between patients with hypertension with and without left ventricular hypertrophy and significantly decreased oleic acid (OA) levels were observed in the peripheral blood of patients with hypertension with left ventricular hypertrophy. We sought to determine the effect and underlying mechanisms of OA on cardiac remodeling. In vitro studies with isolated neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts revealed that OA significantly attenuated Ang II (angiotensin II)-induced cardiomyocyte growth and cardiac fibroblast collagen expression. In vivo, cardiac function, hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes, and fibrosis were analyzed after an Ang II (1000 ng/kg/minute) pump was implanted for 14 days. We found that OA could significantly prevent Ang II-induced cardiac remodeling in mice. RNA sequencing served as a gene expression roadmap highlighting gene expression changes in the hearts of Ang II-induced mice and OA-treated mice. The results revealed that FGF23 (fibroblast growth factor 23) expression was significantly upregulated in mouse hearts in response to Ang II infusion, which was significantly suppressed in the hearts of OA-treated mice. Furthermore, overexpression of FGF23 in the heart by injection of an AAV-9 vector aggravated Ang II-induced cardiac remodeling and impaired the protective effect of OA on cardiac remodeling. Further study found that OA could suppress Ang II-induced FGF23 expression by inhibiting the translocation of Nurr1 (nuclear receptor-related 1 protein) from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Our findings suggest a novel role of OA in preventing Ang II-induced cardiac remodeling via suppression of FGF23 expression.

Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids, FADS1 and Risk of 15 Cardiovascular Diseases: A Mendelian Randomisation Study.

Whether circulating fatty acids (FAs) play a causal role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear. We conducted a Mendelian randomisation study to explore the associations between plasma phospholipid FA levels and 15 CVDs. Summary-level data from the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D, MEGASTROKE, and Atrial Fibrillation consortia and UK Biobank were used. Sixteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with ten plasma FAs were used as instrumental variables. SNPs in or close to the FADS1 gene were associated with most FAs. We performed a secondary analysis of the association between a functional variant (rs174547) in FADS1, which encodes ?5-desaturase (a key enzyme in the endogenous FA synthesis), and CVD. Genetic predisposition to higher plasma α-linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acid levels was associated with lower odds of large-artery stroke and venous thromboembolism, whereas higher arachidonic and stearic acid levels were associated with higher odds of these two CVDs. The associations were driven by SNPs in or close to FADS1. In the secondary analysis, the minor allele of rs174547 in FADS1 was associated with significantly lower odds of any ischemic stroke, large-artery stroke, and venous thromboembolism and showed suggestive evidence of inverse association with coronary artery disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm and aortic valve stenosis. Genetically higher plasma α-linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acid levels are inversely associated with large-artery stroke and venous thromboembolism, whereas arachidonic and stearic acid levels are positively associated with these CVDs. The associations were driven by FADS1, which was also associated with other CVDs.

Serial Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids in the De Novo Lipogenesis Pathway and Total Mortality, Cause-Specific Mortality, and Cardiovascular Diseases in the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Background Synthesized fatty acids (FAs) from de novo lipogenesis may affect cardiometabolic health, but longitudinal associations between serially measured de novo lipogenesis-related fatty acid biomarkers and mortality or cardiovascular disease (CVD) are not well established. Methods and Results We investigated longitudinal associations between de novo lipogenesis-related fatty acids with all-cause mortality, cause-specific mortality, and incident CVD among 3869 older US adults, mean (SD) age 75 (5) years and free of prevalent CVD at baseline. Levels of plasma phospholipid palmitic (16:0), palmitoleic (16:1n-7), stearic (18:0), oleic acid (18:1n-9), and other risk factors were serially measured at baseline, 6 years, and 13 years. All-cause mortality, cause-specific mortality, and incident fatal and nonfatal CVD were centrally adjudicated. Risk was assessed in multivariable-adjusted Cox models with time-varying FAs and covariates. During 13 years, median follow-up (maximum 22.4 years), participants experienced 3227 deaths (1131 CVD, 2096 non-CVD) and 1753 incident CVD events. After multivariable adjustment, higher cumulative levels of 16:0, 16:1n-7, and 18:1n-9 were associated with higher all-cause mortality, with extreme-quintile hazard ratios (95% CIs) of 1.35 (1.17-1.56), 1.40 (1.21-1.62), and 1.56 (1.35-1.80), respectively, whereas higher levels of 18:0 were associated with lower mortality (hazard ratio=0.76; 95% CI=0.66-0.88). Associations were generally similar for CVD mortality versus non-CVD mortality, as well as total incident CVD. Changes in levels of 16:0 were positively, and 18:0 inversely, associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio=1.23, 95% CI=1.08-1.41; and hazard ratio=0.78, 95% CI=0.68-0.90). Conclusions Higher long-term levels of 16:0, 16:1n-7, and 18:1n-9 and changes in 16:0 were positively, whereas long-term levels and changes in 18:0 were inversely, associated with all-cause mortality in older adults.

Untargeted metabolomic analysis of coronary artery disease patients with diastolic dysfunction show disturbed oxidative pathway.

INTRODUCTION: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is common in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with prevalence estimates of 34% and constitutes a predictor of all-cause mortality. Although diastolic dysfunction is induced by myocardial ischemia and has been shown to alter the clinical course, the role of coronary artery disease in the diastolic dysfunction and its progression into heart failure has not been completely elucidated. OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to identify possible metabolites in coronary artery disease patients that are differentially regulated in patients with diastolic dysfunction. METHODS: The serum of CAD (n = 75) patients and young healthy volunteers (n = 43) were analysed by using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. Pre-processing of data results in 1547 features; among them 1064 features were annotated using NIST library. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Fifteen metabolites were found to be statistically different between cases and control. Variation in metabolites were identified and correlated with several clinically important echocardiography parameters i.e. LVDD grades, ejection fraction (EF) and E/e' values. The results suggested that metabolic products of fatty acid oxidation and glucose oxidation pathways such as oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, galactose, pyruvic and lactic acids are predominantly up regulated in patients with coronary artery disease and severity of diastolic dysfunction appears to be linked to increase in fatty acid oxidation and inflammation. The metabolic fingerprints of these patients give us an insight into the pathophysiological mechanism of diastolic dysfunction in coronary artery disease patients although it did not identify validated novel markers.

Identification of psoriasis vulgaris biomarkers in human plasma by non-targeted metabolomics based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the endogenous metabolites of patients with psoriasis vulgaris which will be helpful for the diagnosis of the disease and to provide the evidence of pathogenesis and the formulation for the individualized dosage regimen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study investigated the plasma metabolomic profiling between the psoriasis vulgaris patients (N=12) and the healthy volunteers (N=12) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS) metabolomic techniques. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to identify and visualize the metabolic data clusters. RESULTS: A total of 22 differential metabolites contributing to the clusters were identified, among which the levels of threonine (p<0.001), leucine (p<0.001), phenylalanine (p<0.001), tryptophan (p=0.018), palmitamide (p<0.001), Linoleic amide (p<0.001), oleamide (p<0.001), stearamide (p<0.001), cis-11- eicosenamide (p< 0.001), trans-13-Docosenamide (p<0.001), uric acid (p=0.034), LysoPC (16:0) (p<0.001), LysoPC (18:3) (p<0.001), LysoPC (18:2) (p=0.024), LysoPC (18:1) (P=0.012) and LysoPC (18:0) (p=0.002) were significantly higher in the plasma of psoriasis vulgaris patients compared with the healthy controls, whereas oleic acid (p<0.001), arachidonic acid (p<0.001) and N-linoleoyl taurine (p<0.001) were significantly lower. These biomarkers are related to glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, nucleic acid metabolism and so on. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that psoriasis vulgaris patients may have disrupted lipid and amino acid metabolism, as well as inflammation and functional lesions in the liver and kidney. This study deepens the understanding of psoriasis vulgaris pathogenesis and proposes novel ideas and methods for auxiliary diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Advanced Liver Fibrosis Is Independently Associated with Palmitic Acid and Insulin Levels in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Changes in lipid metabolism occur during the development and progression non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the fatty acid (FA) profile in red blood cells (RBC) from patients with liver fibrosis remains unexplored. Thus, the goal of this study was to evaluate the fatty acid profile in RBC, dietary lipid intake and insulin resistance indicators in patients with NAFLD, according to the degree of hepatic fibrosis. Using elastography, patients were classified with (n = 52) and without (n = 37) advanced liver fibrosis. The fatty acid profile in RBC was analyzed using gas chromatography and the lipid intake was evaluated through a 24-h dietary recall. Subjects with advanced liver fibrosis had higher levels of palmitic, stearic and oleic acid and total monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and insulin (p < 0.05), and lower levels of elongase very long chain fatty acids protein-6 and the delta-5-desaturase enzymatic activity (p < 0.05). These results suggest a lack of regulation of enzymes related to FA metabolism in patients with advanced fibrosis.

Dorsal recruitment with flow-controlled expiration (FLEX): an experimental study in mechanically ventilated lung-healthy and lung-injured pigs.

BACKGROUND: Concepts for optimizing mechanical ventilation focus mainly on modifying the inspiratory phase. We propose flow-controlled expiration (FLEX) as an additional means for lung protective ventilation and hypothesize that it is capable of recruiting dependent areas of the lungs. This study investigates potential recruiting effects of FLEX using models of mechanically ventilated pigs before and after induction of lung injury with oleic acid. METHODS: Seven pigs in the supine position were ventilated with tidal volume 8 ml·kg- 1 and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) set to maintain partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (paO2) at ≥ 60 mmHg and monitored with electrical impedance tomography (EIT). Two ventilation sequences were recorded - one before and one after induction of lung injury. Each sequence comprised 2 min of conventional volume-controlled ventilation (VCV), 2 min of VCV with FLEX and 1 min again of conventional VCV. Analysis of the EIT recordings comprised global and ventral and dorsal baseline levels of impedance curves, end-expiratory no-flow periods, tidal variation in ventral and dorsal areas, and regional ventilation delay index. RESULTS: With FLEX, the duration of the end-expiratory zero flow intervals was significantly shortened (VCV 1.4 ± 0.3 s; FLEX 0.7 ± 0.1 s, p < 0.001), functional residual capacity was significantly elevated in both conditions of the lungs (global: healthy, increase of 87 ± 12 ml, p < 0.001; injured, increase of 115 ± 44 ml, p < 0.001; ventral: healthy, increase of 64 ± 11 ml, p < 0.001; injured, increase of 83 ± 22 ml, p < 0.001; dorsal: healthy, increase of 23 ± 5 ml, p < 0.001; injured, increase of 32 ± 26 ml, p = 0.02), and ventilation was shifted from ventral to dorsal areas (dorsal increase: healthy, 1 ± 0.5%, p < 0.01; dorsal increase: injured, 6 ± 2%, p < 0.01), compared to conventional VCV. Recruiting effects of FLEX persisted during conventional VCV following FLEX ventilation mostly in the injured but also in the healthy lungs. CONCLUSIONS: FLEX shifts regional ventilation towards dependent lung areas in healthy and in injured pig lungs. The recruiting capabilities of FLEX may be mainly responsible for lung-protective effects observed in an earlier study.

Circulating oleic acid levels are related to greater risks of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Limited evidence has suggested that circulating levels of the omega-9 fatty acid, oleic acid, may be related to greater risks of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine whether plasma oleic acid may be independently associated with clinical and subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in a large multiethnic cohort. METHODS: Plasma fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography-flame ionization in 6568 participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. The presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) and aortic valve calcification (AVC) was determined by computed tomography, and carotid plaque was assessed by ultrasound. Incident CVD was defined as myocardial infarction, fatal coronary heart disease, resuscitated cardiac arrest, stroke, or stroke death. Heart failure (HF) was adjudicated from clinical records. Relative risk regression estimated plasma oleic acid-related rate ratios for prevalent CAC, AVC, and carotid plaque. Cox regression estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD, HF, and all-cause mortality over a median 13-year follow-up. RESULTS: Individuals in top quartiles of oleic acid showed greater rate ratios of CAC, AVC, and carotid plaque (all P < .001), but associations were rendered nonsignificant after adjustment for other risk factors. By contrast, those in top quartiles of plasma oleic acid showed significantly greater risks of incident HF (HR: 2.03; P < .001), CVD (HR: 1.41; P = .008), and all-cause mortality (HR: 1.55; P < .001) than those in referent quartiles independent of typical risk factors as well as plasma omega-3 fatty acid levels. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma oleic acid appears to be a risk factor for CVD events and all-cause mortality independent of typical risk factors and plasma omega-3 fatty acids. Additional studies are warranted for confirmation and to further examine whether plasma oleic acid directly contributes to, or serves as a marker of, disease pathogenesis. These findings should not be extrapolated to dietary oleic acid intake.

Decreased Oleic Acid and Marine n - 3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Tunisian Patients with Urothelial Bladder Cancer.

Fatty acids (FAs) are thought to impact carcinogenesis by affecting cell signaling. A case-control study including 250 patients with urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) and 250 controls was conducted. Plasma FAs composition was assessed using capillary gas chromatography. Associations of individual and classes of FAs with UBC were controlled for the main risk factors for UBC. Plasma FAs profile was different in patients compared to controls. Higher levels (third tertile vs. first tertile) in palmitic acid (PA) [multi-adjusted OR (95% CI), 1.83 (1.14-2.92)], and n - 6:n - 3 FA ratio [4.13 (2.38-7.16)] were associated with increased risk for UBC [multi-adjusted OR (95% CI), 1.83 (1.14-2.92)]. In contrast, higher levels (third tertile vs. first tertile) in oleic [0.54 (0.34-0.86)], dihomo-γ-linolenic (DGLA) [0.47 (0.29-0.74)], eicosapentaenoic (EPA) [0.32 (0.19-0.52)], and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids [0.33 (0.20-0.53)] were associated with lower risk for UBC. Although the study design does not allow proving causality, the findings suggest a possible protective role of oleic acid and marine n - 3 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) against bladder carcinogenesis.

Free Fatty Acids: Circulating Contributors of Metabolic Syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome induces an increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Most importantly, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in adult population is expanding. Both clinical and preclinical studies indicate that increased Free Fatty Acids (FFAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and subsequent development of metabolic syndrome. The relevance of FFAs in protecting and restoring tissue function is quite vast. The search to correlate the functional deterioration of the tissues within the cardiovascular system and increased plasma concentrations of FFAs has been reported. The importance of reduction in the consumption of dietary fatty acids along with the identification of dysregulated genes responsible for persistent increased FFAs uptake and mitochondrial ß-oxidation has been increasingly recognized. This review discusses the current empirical understanding of the different types of fatty acids and their metabolism and functions both in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. We also discuss in detail about the molecular and pathophysiological basis of increased FFAs, which augments Cardiovascular Disease (CVD).