Acute Fatty Acid Intervention Study (AFAST)

Overview

The main objective of this study is to elucidate whether different dietary fatty acids (SFA, PUFA, butter fat and margarine fat) in a high fat load will have different effects on PBMC gene expression profiles. Secondary objectives are to elucidate the effects of these fat loads on individual plasma free fatty acid profiles, triglycerides and cholesterol levels.

Nutrition plays a key role in the development of metabolic disorders like cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome. Nutrients that can contribute to the risk of developing such diseases are fatty acids (FAs). It is known that fatty acids mediate their metabolic effects via changes in gene expression, through binding and subsequent activation of the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR). In addition, it is known that unsaturated fatty acids are better ligands for PPAR than saturated fatty acids. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) express PPARalpha and are relatively easy to isolate from whole blood. We previously showed that the gene expression profiles of these cells can reflect free fatty acid increases during fasting. The question still remains whether dietary FA can influence gene expression in a similar way and, if so, whether different dietary FA result in different gene expression changes and subsequent activation of other pathways.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes