Fatty acids in multiple circulating lipid fractions reflects the composition of liver triglycerides in humans

Fredrik Rosqvist; Michael Fridén; Johan Vessby; Paul Hockings; Johannes Hulthe; Anders Gummesson; Heiko G. Niessen; Christian Schultheis; Alkwin Wanders; Håkan Ahlström; Fredrik Rorsman; Ulf Risérus

doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2022.02.005

Fatty acids in multiple circulating lipid fractions reflects the composition of liver triglycerides in humans

Fredrik Rosqvist, Michael Fridén, Johan Vessby, Paul Hockings, Johannes Hulthe, Anders Gummesson, Heiko G. Niessen, Christian Schultheis, Alkwin Wanders, Håkan Ahlström, Fredrik Rorsman, Ulf Risérus^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

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Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fatty acids (e.g. 16:1n-7) and desaturase indices (e.g. stearoyl-CoA desaturase, SCD) in plasma cholesteryl esters (CE) and phospholipids (PL) are used as biomarkers of dietary fat quality and lipid metabolism and are associated with disease outcomes. Endogenously produced circulating fatty acids are believed to reflect composition of the liver, yet little data exist to support such relationship. We investigated associations between circulating fatty acids and fatty acids within the liver.

METHODS: Liver biopsies and blood were collected from n = 60 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Fatty acids in CE, PL and triglycerides (TG) in plasma and liver were analyzed using gas chromatography. Associations were assessed using Spearman rank correlations.

RESULTS: Overall, fatty acids and desaturase indices in plasma PL and TG showed moderate-strong correlations with fatty acids and desaturase indices in corresponding lipid fractions in liver. For plasma CE, 16:1n-7 and SCD were correlated with 16:1n-7 and SCD in liver CE. Noteworthy, fatty acids in plasma CE and PL also showed moderate-strong correlations with fatty acids in liver TG (e.g. r = 0.82-0.87 for 16:1n-7 and r = 0.77 for SCD).

CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that fatty acids in circulating lipid fractions, including CE, TG and PL, reflects the composition of liver TG in humans, suggesting that circulating fatty acids might be useful biomarkers for the fatty acid composition of the liver. As liver tissue is rarely available in cohort studies, our findings could enhance our understanding of plasma fatty acids as markers of hepatic lipid metabolism and their links to metabolic diseases.

Original language	English
Journal	Clinical Nutrition
Volume	41
Issue number	4
Pages (from-to)	805-809
Number of pages	5
ISSN	0261-5614
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2022.02.005
Publication status	Published - Apr 2022

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Cholesteryl esters
Fatty acids
NAFLD
Phospholipids
SCD
Triglycerides

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Rosqvist et al. (2022). Fatty acids in multiple circulating lipid fractions reflects the composition of liver triglycerides in humansFinal published version, 444 KBLicence: CC BY 4.0

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Rosqvist, F., Fridén, M., Vessby, J., Hockings, P., Hulthe, J., Gummesson, A., Niessen, H. G., Schultheis, C., Wanders, A., Ahlström, H., Rorsman, F., & Risérus, U. (2022). Fatty acids in multiple circulating lipid fractions reflects the composition of liver triglycerides in humans. Clinical Nutrition, 41(4), 805-809. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2022.02.005

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title = "Fatty acids in multiple circulating lipid fractions reflects the composition of liver triglycerides in humans",

abstract = "BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fatty acids (e.g. 16:1n-7) and desaturase indices (e.g. stearoyl-CoA desaturase, SCD) in plasma cholesteryl esters (CE) and phospholipids (PL) are used as biomarkers of dietary fat quality and lipid metabolism and are associated with disease outcomes. Endogenously produced circulating fatty acids are believed to reflect composition of the liver, yet little data exist to support such relationship. We investigated associations between circulating fatty acids and fatty acids within the liver.METHODS: Liver biopsies and blood were collected from n = 60 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Fatty acids in CE, PL and triglycerides (TG) in plasma and liver were analyzed using gas chromatography. Associations were assessed using Spearman rank correlations.RESULTS: Overall, fatty acids and desaturase indices in plasma PL and TG showed moderate-strong correlations with fatty acids and desaturase indices in corresponding lipid fractions in liver. For plasma CE, 16:1n-7 and SCD were correlated with 16:1n-7 and SCD in liver CE. Noteworthy, fatty acids in plasma CE and PL also showed moderate-strong correlations with fatty acids in liver TG (e.g. r = 0.82-0.87 for 16:1n-7 and r = 0.77 for SCD).CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that fatty acids in circulating lipid fractions, including CE, TG and PL, reflects the composition of liver TG in humans, suggesting that circulating fatty acids might be useful biomarkers for the fatty acid composition of the liver. As liver tissue is rarely available in cohort studies, our findings could enhance our understanding of plasma fatty acids as markers of hepatic lipid metabolism and their links to metabolic diseases.",

keywords = "Cholesteryl esters, Fatty acids, NAFLD, Phospholipids, SCD, Triglycerides",

author = "Fredrik Rosqvist and Michael Frid{\'e}n and Johan Vessby and Paul Hockings and Johannes Hulthe and Anders Gummesson and Niessen, {Heiko G.} and Christian Schultheis and Alkwin Wanders and H{\aa}kan Ahlstr{\"o}m and Fredrik Rorsman and Ulf Ris{\'e}rus",

year = "2022",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.clnu.2022.02.005",

language = "English",

volume = "41",

pages = "805--809",

journal = "Clinical Nutrition",

issn = "0261-5614",

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number = "4",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Fatty acids in multiple circulating lipid fractions reflects the composition of liver triglycerides in humans

AU - Rosqvist, Fredrik

AU - Fridén, Michael

AU - Vessby, Johan

AU - Hockings, Paul

AU - Hulthe, Johannes

AU - Gummesson, Anders

AU - Niessen, Heiko G.

AU - Schultheis, Christian

AU - Wanders, Alkwin

AU - Ahlström, Håkan

AU - Rorsman, Fredrik

AU - Risérus, Ulf

PY - 2022/4

Y1 - 2022/4

N2 - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fatty acids (e.g. 16:1n-7) and desaturase indices (e.g. stearoyl-CoA desaturase, SCD) in plasma cholesteryl esters (CE) and phospholipids (PL) are used as biomarkers of dietary fat quality and lipid metabolism and are associated with disease outcomes. Endogenously produced circulating fatty acids are believed to reflect composition of the liver, yet little data exist to support such relationship. We investigated associations between circulating fatty acids and fatty acids within the liver.METHODS: Liver biopsies and blood were collected from n = 60 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Fatty acids in CE, PL and triglycerides (TG) in plasma and liver were analyzed using gas chromatography. Associations were assessed using Spearman rank correlations.RESULTS: Overall, fatty acids and desaturase indices in plasma PL and TG showed moderate-strong correlations with fatty acids and desaturase indices in corresponding lipid fractions in liver. For plasma CE, 16:1n-7 and SCD were correlated with 16:1n-7 and SCD in liver CE. Noteworthy, fatty acids in plasma CE and PL also showed moderate-strong correlations with fatty acids in liver TG (e.g. r = 0.82-0.87 for 16:1n-7 and r = 0.77 for SCD).CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that fatty acids in circulating lipid fractions, including CE, TG and PL, reflects the composition of liver TG in humans, suggesting that circulating fatty acids might be useful biomarkers for the fatty acid composition of the liver. As liver tissue is rarely available in cohort studies, our findings could enhance our understanding of plasma fatty acids as markers of hepatic lipid metabolism and their links to metabolic diseases.

AB - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fatty acids (e.g. 16:1n-7) and desaturase indices (e.g. stearoyl-CoA desaturase, SCD) in plasma cholesteryl esters (CE) and phospholipids (PL) are used as biomarkers of dietary fat quality and lipid metabolism and are associated with disease outcomes. Endogenously produced circulating fatty acids are believed to reflect composition of the liver, yet little data exist to support such relationship. We investigated associations between circulating fatty acids and fatty acids within the liver.METHODS: Liver biopsies and blood were collected from n = 60 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Fatty acids in CE, PL and triglycerides (TG) in plasma and liver were analyzed using gas chromatography. Associations were assessed using Spearman rank correlations.RESULTS: Overall, fatty acids and desaturase indices in plasma PL and TG showed moderate-strong correlations with fatty acids and desaturase indices in corresponding lipid fractions in liver. For plasma CE, 16:1n-7 and SCD were correlated with 16:1n-7 and SCD in liver CE. Noteworthy, fatty acids in plasma CE and PL also showed moderate-strong correlations with fatty acids in liver TG (e.g. r = 0.82-0.87 for 16:1n-7 and r = 0.77 for SCD).CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that fatty acids in circulating lipid fractions, including CE, TG and PL, reflects the composition of liver TG in humans, suggesting that circulating fatty acids might be useful biomarkers for the fatty acid composition of the liver. As liver tissue is rarely available in cohort studies, our findings could enhance our understanding of plasma fatty acids as markers of hepatic lipid metabolism and their links to metabolic diseases.

KW - Cholesteryl esters

KW - Fatty acids

KW - NAFLD

KW - Phospholipids

KW - SCD

KW - Triglycerides

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85125636486&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.clnu.2022.02.005

DO - 10.1016/j.clnu.2022.02.005

M3 - Letter

C2 - 35263689

SN - 0261-5614

VL - 41

SP - 805

EP - 809

JO - Clinical Nutrition

JF - Clinical Nutrition

IS - 4

ER -

Fatty acids in multiple circulating lipid fractions reflects the composition of liver triglycerides in humans

Abstract

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Keywords

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