Margarine supplemented with conjugated linolenic acid (CLnA) has no effect on atherosclerosis but alleviates the liver steatosis and affects the expression of lipid metabolism genes in apoE/LDLR-/- mice

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of margarine supplemented with punicic acid (cis-9, trans-11, cis-13 C18: 3) (CLnA) compared to CLA and linolenic acid (LnA) in apoE/LDLR-/-mice in two independent experiments: LONG (18 weeks) and SHORT (10 weeks). Liver weight was increased in CLA group in both studies. Hepatic steatosis was found in animals fed CLA and margarine diets but less signs of the steatosis were observed in mice fed LnA and CLnA diets. In LONG, TC was significantly increased in animals fed LnA, whereas LDL+VLDL, HDL and TAG levels were unchanged. In mice fed CLnA the upregulated expression of PPAR alpha and ACO was reported, however, SREBP-1 was 7-fold increased. Punicic acid and CLA isomers were determined both in adipose tissue and liver in CLnA fed mice. No effects of treatments on the area of atherosclerotic plaque were recognized. In conclusion margarine supplemented with CLA significantly increased liver weight and induced steatosis in mice in both studies. Our results did not support the notion that CLnA supplementation to the margarine possesses anti-atheroclerotic effect but it alleviated the liver steatosis and affected the expression of lipid metabolism genes.