Oxidative susceptibility of low density lipoprotein from rabbits fed atherogenic diets containing coconut, palm, or soybean oils

Informatics for Nutritional Genetics and Genomics

While traditional nutrition science is focusing on nourishing population, modern nutrition is aiming at benefiting individual people. The goal of modern nutritional research is to promote health, prevent diseases, and improve performance. With the development of modern technologies like bioinformatics, metabolomics, and molecular genetics, this goal is becoming more attainable. In this chapter, we will discuss the new concepts and technologies especially in informatics and molecular genetics and genomics, and how they have been implemented to change the nutrition science and lead to the emergence of new branches like nutrigenomics, nutrigenetics, and nutritional metabolomics.

Small Dense Low-Density Lipoprotein Concentration and Oxidative Susceptibility Changes after Consumption of Soybean Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Palm Oil and Mixed Rice Bran/Palm Oil in Hypercholesterolaemic Women

The effects of a diet containing soybean oil (SBO), rice bran oil (RBO), palm oil (PO) or a RBO/PO (3:1) mixture on the composition and oxidation of small dense low-density lipoproteins (sdLDL) in 16 hypercholesterolaemic women were investigated. During the 8-week control period, participants consumed a free-choice weight-maintaining diet comprising carbohydrate (55% energy), protein (15% energy) and fat (30% energy) with < 300 mg/day of cholesterol. During each 10-week study period, participants consumed this same diet but with the addition of one of the three test oils or the RBO/PO mixture. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels were significantly reduced during SBO, RBO and RBO/PO consumption, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly decreased by SBO consumption. There was a significant reduction in sdLDL-cholesterol levels only after using SBO and it tended to be reduced during RBO/PO consumption, whereas it was significantly increased following PO consumption. The sdLDL oxidation lag time was significantly increased during PO, RBO/PO and RBO consumption, but significantly reduced following SBO. The results for the RBO/PO mixture suggest that this oil mixture might further reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.

Lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress genes and dietary factors in breast cancer protection: a hypothesis

We have recently proposed that lipid peroxidation may be a common mechanistic pathway by which obesity and hypertension lead to increased renal cell cancer risk. During this exercise, we noted a risk factor swap between breast and kidney cancer (oophorectomy and increased parity, detrimental for kidney, beneficial for breast; high blood pressure, detrimental for kidney, beneficial for breast when it occurs during pregnancy; alcohol, beneficial for kidney, detrimental for breast, and so on). We have subsequently proposed the hypothesis that lipid peroxidation represents a protective mechanism in breast cancer, and reviewed the evidence of the role of lipid peroxidation on established hormonal and non-hormonal factors for breast cancer. Here, we review the evidence in support of lipid peroxidation playing a role in the relationships between dietary factors and breast cancer. Available evidence implicates increased lipid peroxidation products in the anti-carcinogenic effect of suspected protective factors for breast cancer, including soy, marine n-3 fatty acids, green tea, isothiocyanates, and vitamin D and calcium. We also review the epidemiological evidence supporting a modifying effect of oxidative stress genes in dietary factor-breast cancer relationships.

Role of Lipid Peroxidation in the Epidemiology and Prevention of Breast Cancer

We have recently proposed a common mechanistic pathway by which obesity and hypertension lead to increased renal cell cancer risk. Our hypothesis posits lipid peroxidation, which is a principal mechanism in rodent renal carcinogenesis, as an intermediate step that leads to a final common pathway shared by numerous observed risks (including obesity, hypertension, smoking, oophorectomy/hysterectomy, parity, preeclampsia, diabetes, and analgesics) or protective factors (including oral contraceptive use and alcohol) for renal cell cancer [Cancer Causes Control 2002;13:287-93]. During this exercise, we have noticed how certain risk factors for renal cell carcinoma are protective for breast cancer and how certain protective factors for renal cell carcinoma increase risk for breast cancer. Parity and oophorectomy, for example, are positively associated with renal cell carcinoma but are negatively associated with breast cancer. Similarly, obesity and hypertension are positively associated with renal cell carcinoma, but obesity is negatively associated with breast cancer in premenopausal women and hypertension during pregnancy is negatively associated with breast cancer. Furthermore, alcohol intake, negatively associated with renal cell carcinoma, is also positively associated with breast cancer. We propose here the possibility that lipid peroxidation may represent a protective mechanism in breast cancer. Although this runs counter to the conventional view that lipid peroxidation is a process that is harmful and carcinogenic, we present here the chemical and biological rationale, based on epidemiologic and biochemical data, which may deserve further consideration and investigation.

Balanced intakes of natural triglycerides for optimum nutrition: an evolutionary and phytochemical perspective

Natural whole foods contain fats as structural components, and have a balance of polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and saturated fat. Since we are still a Paleolithic species, adapted to eating only wild foods, it is difficult to justify the consumption of anything other than an overall balance of triglyceride/phospholipid types in an evolutionary sense. No natural fats are intrinsically good or bad--it is the proportions that matter. Variety is recommended in dietary lipid structure, degree of saturation, and chain length. Pathological n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fat imbalance, obesity, and progressive glucose intolerance are consequences of adopting cereal grain based diets by both humans and livestock. Food processing and refining amplify these problems. Excessive concerns regarding polyunsaturated fat peroxidation in vivo are not warranted when trigylcerides are balanced and normal diets are consumed. Numerous phytochemicals present in unrefined oils, fruits, vegetables, and herbs afford significant protection from lipid peroxidation and chronic disease.