Supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid causes isomer-dependent oxidative stress and elevated C-reactive protein: a potential link to fatty acid-induced insulin resistance

cis-9, trans-11 CLA derived endogenously from trans-11 18:1 reduces cancer risk in rats

The present study was designed to examine the effects of increasing dietary levels of vaccenic acid (VA) and cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on chemically induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats. Both fatty acids were provided as a natural component in butter fat. The conversion of VA to CLA by delta9-desaturase was documented previously in several species, including rats and humans. Specifically, our objective was to determine the relative contribution of dietary VA and CLA to the tissue concentration of CLA and its ability to inhibit the development of mammary carcinomas. A total of 7 diets were formulated with varying levels of CLA and VA. The overall dietary treatment scheme was designed to evaluate the modulation of mammary cancer risk by 1). small increases of CLA in the presence of a low level of VA and 2). more substantial increases of VA against a background of low levels of CLA. As expected, small increases in dietary CLA at the low end of the CLA dose-response range did not reduce tumorigenesis. In contrast, there was a distinct and marked inhibitory response to VA that was dose dependent. The effect of VA was magnified in this experiment because the dose range of VA tested was much broader than that of CLA. Fatty acid analysis showed that the conversion of dietary VA to CLA resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the accumulation of CLA in the mammary fat pad, which was accompanied by a parallel decrease in tumor formation in the mammary gland. The finding confirms that the conversion of VA to CLA is as important for cancer prevention as the dietary supply of CLA. Thus, VA is also anticarcinogenic, and VA and CLA represent functional food components that are present in ruminant fat.

Conjugated linoleic acid does not improve insulin tolerance in mice

OBJECTIVE

To determine if the addition or removal of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) would alter insulin tolerances in mice from two genetic lines.

RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES

High metabolic rate (MH) and low metabolic rate (ML) mice were assigned to consume 1) a control diet ad libitum, 2) a control diet at a restricted intake, or 3) a diet containing 1% CLA ad libitum. After 9 weeks, an insulin tolerance test was conducted, and a portion of the mice were killed. All remaining mice consumed the control diet ad libitum. Insulin tolerance tests were conducted 11 and 32 days after the diet change, and mice were killed 3 days after each test. Body fatness, fat pad weights, and serum insulin concentrations of mice were determined at each time-point. Two follow-up experiments were also conducted.

RESULTS

Restricted mice had insulin sensitivities not different than control mice. CLA-fed MH mice in experiment 1 were resistant (p < 0.001) to insulin on each day measured. CLA-fed ML mice were slightly resistant (p = 0.08) to exogenous insulin on day 0 of recovery and not different from control mice on day 11 or 32. Glucose response to insulin in MH mice fed CLA in experiments 2 or 3 did not differ from control mice.

DISCUSSION

Mice fed CLA did not have improved insulin tolerances compared with control mice. In some cases, dietary CLA may cause insulin resistance. MH mice seem more sensitive to CLA than ML mice.

Isomer-specific regulation of metabolism and PPARgamma signaling by CLA in human preadipocytes

Trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has previously been shown to be the CLA isomer responsible for CLA-induced reductions in body fat in animal models, and we have shown that this isomer, but not the cis-9,trans-11 CLA isomer, specifically decreased triglyceride (TG) accumulation in primary human adipocytes in vitro. Here we investigated the mechanism behind the isomer-specific, CLA-mediated reduction in TG accumulation in differentiating human preadipocytes. Trans-10,cis-12 CLA decreased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and oxidation, and reduced insulin-dependent glucose transporter 4 gene expression. Furthermore, trans-10,cis-12 CLA reduced oleic acid uptake and oxidation when compared with all other treatments. In parallel to CLA's effects on metabolism, trans-10,cis-12 CLA decreased, whereas cis-9,trans-11 CLA increased, the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and several of its downstream target genes when compared with vehicle controls. Transient transfections demonstrated that both CLA isomers antagonized ligand-dependent activation of PPARgamma. Collectively, trans-10,cis-12, but not cis-9, trans-11, CLA decreased glucose and lipid uptake and oxidation and preadipocyte differentiation by altering preadipocyte gene transcription in a manner that appeared to be due, in part, to decreased PPARgamma expression.

Rethinking nutritional support for persons with cancer cachexia

Cancer cachexia is a poorly understood syndrome of anorexia, weight loss, and muscle wasting that negatively impacts quality of life and survival in cancer patients. Research has clearly implicated pro-inflammatory cytokines in the biology of cancer cachexia. More recent research implicates products of arachidonic acid and suggests that cachexia may be a chronic inflammatory condition rather than a nutritional aberration. To date, nutritional support to slow weight loss has focused primarily on increasing calorie intake. Alternatively, many foods contain factors that can modulate the synthesis or activity of pro-inflammatory mediators, especially the synthesis of prostaglandin E2 from arachidonic acid. These factors and foods are sometimes called nutraceuticals, and research is needed to evaluate their efficacy in combating cancer cachexia.

Isomer-specific actions of conjugated linoleic acid on muscle glucose transport in the obese Zucker rat

The fatty acid-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) enhances glucose tolerance and insulin action on skeletal muscle glucose transport in rodent models of insulin resistance. However, no study has directly compared the metabolic effects of the two primary CLA isomers, cis-9,trans-11-CLA (c9,t11-CLA) and trans-10,cis-12-CLA (t10,c12-CLA). Therefore, we assessed the effects of a 50:50 mixture of these two CLA isomers (M-CLA) and of preparations enriched in either c9,t11-CLA (76% enriched) or t10,c12-CLA (90% enriched) on glucose tolerance and insulin-stimulated glucose transport in skeletal muscle of the insulin-resistant obese Zucker (fa/fa) rat. Animals were treated daily by gavage with either vehicle (corn oil), M-CLA, c9,t11-CLA, or t10,c12-CLA (all CLA treatments at 1.5 g total CLA/kg body wt) for 21 consecutive days. During an oral glucose tolerance test, glucose responses were reduced (P < 0.05) by 10 and 16%, respectively, in the M-CLA and t10,c12-CLA animals, respectively, whereas insulin responses were diminished by 21 and 19% in these same groups. There were no significant alterations in these responses in the c9,t11-CLA group. Insulin-mediated glucose transport activity was enhanced by M-CLA treatment in both type I soleus (32%) and type IIb epitrochlearis (58%) muscles and by 36 and 48%, respectively, with t10,c12-CLA. In the soleus, these increases were associated with decreases in protein carbonyls (index of oxidative stress, r = -0.616, P = 0.0038) and intramuscular triglycerides (r = -0.631, P = 0.0028). Treatment with c9,t11-CLA was without effect on these variables. These results suggest that the ability of CLA treatment to improve glucose tolerance and insulin-stimulated glucose transport activity in insulin-resistant skeletal muscle of the obese Zucker rat are associated with a reduction in oxidative stress and muscle lipid levels and can be specifically ascribed to the actions of the t10,c12 isomer. In the obese Zucker rat, the c9,t11 isomer of CLA is metabolically neutral.

Protective action of CLA against oxidative inactivation of paraoxonase 1, an antioxidant enzyme

The effect of CLA on paraoxonase 1 (PON1), one of the antioxidant proteins associated with HDL, was investigated for its protective action against oxidative inactivation as well as its stabilization activity. When cis-9 (c9),trans-11 (t11)-CLA and t10,c12-CLA were examined for their protective activity against ascorbate/Cu(2+)-induced inactivation of PON1 in the presence of Ca2+, two CLA isomers exhibited a remarkable protection (Emax, 71-74%) in a concentration-dependent manner (50% effective concentration, 3-4 microM), characterized by a saturation pattern. Such a protective action was also reproduced with oleic acid, but not linoleic acid. Rather, linoleic acid antagonized the protective action of CLA isomers in a noncompetitive fashion. Additionally, the two CLA isomers also protected PON1 from oxidative inactivation by H2O2 or cumene hydroperoxide. The concentration-dependent protective action of CLA against various oxidative inactivation systems suggests that the protective action of CLA isomers may be mediated through their selective binding to a specific binding site in a PON1 molecule. Separately, the inactivation of PON1 by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (PHMB), a modifier of the cysteine residue, was also prevented by CLA isomers, suggesting the possible existence of the cysteine residue in the binding site of CLA. The c9,t11-CLA isomer seems to be somewhat more effective than t10,c12-CLA in protecting against the inactivation of PON1 by either peroxides or PHMB, in contrast to the similar efficacy of these two CLA isomers in preventing ascorbate/Cu(2+)-induced inactivation of PON1. Separately, CLA isomers successfully stabilized PON1, but not linoleic acid. These data suggest that the two CLA isomers may play a beneficial role in protecting PON1 from oxidative inactivation as well as in its stabilization.

Trans-10,cis-12 CLA increases liver and decreases adipose tissue lipids in mice: possible roles of specific lipid metabolism genes

Although consumption of CLA mixtures has been associated with several health effects, less is known about the actions of specific CLA isomers. There is evidence that the t10,c12-CLA isomer is associated with alterations in body and organ weights in animals fed CLA, but the mechanisms leading to these changes are unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two commonly occurring isomers of CLA on body composition and the transcription of genes associated with lipid metabolism. Eight-week-old female mice (n = 11 or 12/group) were fed either a control diet or diets supplemented with 0.5% c9,t11-CLA or t10,c12-CLA isomers or 0.2% of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) agonist fenofibrate for 8 wk. Body and retroperitoneal adipose tissue weights were significantly lower (6-10 and 50%, respectively), and liver weights were significantly greater (100%) in the t10,c12-CLA and the fenofibrate groups compared with those in the control group; body and tissue weights in the c9,t11-CLA group did not differ from those in the control group. Livers from animals in the t10,c12-CLA group contained five times more lipids than in the control group, whereas the lipid content of the fenofibrate group did not differ from that in the control group. Although fenofibrate increased the mRNA for PPARalpha, t10,c12-CLA decreased it. These results suggest that PPARalpha did not mediate the effects of t10,c12-CLA on body composition. The CLA isomers and fenofibrate altered mRNA levels for several proteins involved in lipid metabolism, but the most striking difference was the reduction of mRNA for leptin and adiponectin in the t10,c12-CLA group. These initial results suggest that changes associated with energy homeostasis and insulin action may mediate the effects of t10,c12-CLA on lipid metabolism.

Modulation of body composition and immune cell functions by conjugated linoleic acid in humans and animal models: benefits vs. risks

We have reviewed the published literature regarding the effects of CLA on body composition and immune cell functions in humans and in animal models. Results from studies in mice, hamsters, rats, and pigs generally support the notion that CLA reduced depot fat in the normal or lean strains. However, in obese rats, it increased body fat or decreased it less than in the corresponding lean controls. These studies also indicate that t10,c12-CLA was the isomer that reduced adipose fat; however, it also increased the fat content of several other tissues and increased circulating insulin and the saturated FA content of adipose tissue and muscle. Four of the eight published human studies found small but significant reductions in body fat with CLA supplementation; however, the reductions were smaller than the prediction errors for the methods used. The other four human studies found no change in body fat with CLA supplementation. These studies also report that CLA supplementation increased the risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease including increased blood glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, VLDL, C-reactive protein, lipid peroxidation, and decreased HDL. Most studies regarding the effects of CLA on immune cell functions have been conducted with a mixture of isomers, and the results have been variable. One study conducted in mice with the purified c9,t11-CLA and t10,c12-CLA isomers indicated that the two isomers have similar effects on immune cell functions. Some of the reasons for the discrepancies between the effects of CLA in published reports are discussed. Although significant benefit to humans from CLA supplementation is questionable, it may create several health risks in both humans and animals. On the basis of the published data, CLA supplementation of adult human diets to improve body composition or enhance immune functions cannot be recommended at this time.

Prevention of mammary cancer with conjugated linoleic acid: role of the stroma and the epithelium

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), found naturally in dairy products and ruminant meats, refers to isomers of octadecadienoic acid with conjugated double bonds. CLA inhibits both DMBA- and NMU-induced rat mammary carcinogenesis, and its antitumor efficacy is similar whether it is fed only during puberty, or continuously during promotion. Pubertal feeding is associated with a reduced proliferation of the epithelial cells within the terminal end buds (TEBs) and lobular epithelium, and results in a decrease in the epithelial density, suggesting a reduction in the carcinogen-sensitive target population. During promotion, CLA feeding induces apoptosis of preneoplastic lesions. The effects of CLA are mediated by a direct action on the epithelium, as well as by an indirect effect through the stroma. CLA is incorporated into the neutral lipids of mammary adipocytes, where it can serve as a local reservoir of CLA. Additionally, CLA induces the adipogenic differentiation of multipotent mammary stromal cells in vitro, and inhibits their development into three-dimensional capillary networks. This suggested that CLA might inhibit angiogenesis in vivo, a hypothesis that was subsequently confirmed. The antiangiogenic effect is mediated, in part, through a CLA-induced decrease in serum VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and mammary gland VEGF and flk-1. Together, the data suggest that CLA may be an excellent candidate for prevention of breast cancer.